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R2m Paid to Technician Not Working for 4 Years: Probe Underway

Published

10 months ago

July 23, 2023

The Emfuleni Local Municipality in Gauteng has come under scrutiny after it was revealed in the Gauteng legislature that they paid more than R2 million to a senior engineering technician who hasn’t been working there for the past four years.

Cogta MEC Mzi Khumalo disclosed that Silence Munwai has been receiving an annual salary of R597,022 since 2019, even though the municipality hasn’t actively employed him during this time. This revelation came to light when the DA raised the issue in the legislature as reported by New 24.

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In response to the situation, the DA has demanded that MEC Khumalo intervene and that the provincial government takes immediate action to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

Further details provided by MEC Khumalo indicate that the dispute involving Silence Munwai and Emfuleni manager Sithembile Ngobeni dates back to 2016 when Ngobeni filed a protection order against Munwai, alleging threats on her life. As a result, Munwai was transferred to the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture until Ngobeni was fired in 2017.

The situation escalated in 2019 when Ngobeni was reinstated, but Munwai ceased going to the office while still receiving his monthly salary. The DA constituency head in Emfuleni, Kingsol Chabalala, expressed concern about the ongoing dispute and its impact on the taxpayers and residents, leading to service delivery issues in the area.

The municipality’s spokesperson, Makhosonke Sangweni, assured them they were aware of the dispute and taking steps to resolve the matter immediately. Sangweni mentioned that previously, arrangements were made to transfer Munwai to another department, but he declined the offer.

The municipality is investigating how Munwai submitted attendance registers for the last four years despite not actively working. Sangweni clarified that there was no authorisation for Munwai to remain at home. At the same time, the matter was referred to the previous executive director, but the issue was left unresolved when that director left.

This incident highlights a recurring problem with public servants receiving salaries without fulfilling their duties. In January, News24 reported a similar case in the Eastern Cape Department of Health, where R67 million was paid to staff at a hospital that had been closed for two years. The DA’s Eastern Cape MPL, Jane Cowley, expressed concern over the mismanagement of funds and the lack of systems to address non-compliant employees in such cases.