Garden Route municipal manager Monde Stratu.
Cape Town – The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has dismissed as malicious, allegations that municipal manager Monde Stratu, paid himself a “gratuity” of just under R1 million in April 2022.
This is as public interest group, the Garden Route Corruption Busters, has accused the municipality of refusing to probe the allegations they made against Stratu.
The group alleges that Stratu also illegally paid himself R3.8 million, more than the upper limits, between April 2017 and April 2022.
Stratu dismissed the allegations on Wednesday.
“I have heard allegations that I pay myself. That is incorrect. I’m an employee of the GRDM, like any other employee I am paid according to the terms of my appointment as approved by my employer.
“I have 22 years in the sector and I have never been accused of corruption.
“There is a clear agenda to smear my name. They tried this last year and they are doing it again,“ he said.
GDRM mayor Memory Booysen said the allegations were presented to the city council and were examined and subsequently dismissed as “malicious and lacking in substance”.
“The outcome of the council’s decision was communicated to all relevant parties.
“It should be once again noted that the evidence presented to council exonerated the MM and all others mentioned in the allegations.
“As far as the GRDM council is concerned, this matter is now closed,” he said.
The group said payments above the upper limits were considered to be irregular expenditure.
“We have heard nothing from the mayor since then. The people of the Garden Route have been failed by the Garden Route District Council,” the group said.
Spokesperson for Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, Wouter Kriel, said the municipality has been required to provide a range of additional documents and further information on allegations of maladministration and/or malpractice.
“Bredell will duly assess the additional documents and further information submitted by the municipality in order to determine if they support or refute the provincial minister’s initial findings and, if so, whether further appropriate action, such as the institution of legal proceedings to recover funds, is warranted,” he said.
Cape Times