Matlosana CFO and mayor fight over funds solicited from service provider
|Published
Matlosana municipality Chief Financial Officer Mercy Phetla and the Mayor of Matlosana James Ntsolela are in a tug of war over funds deposited into the personal bank account of the mayor by a service provider doing tenders with the municipality.
The revelation of the bitter dispute between two ex-allies Phetla and Ntsolela emerged in leaked WhatsApp messages, where the two promised to “deal” with each other if the information about the funds was to find its way to the public.
The conversation started with Ntsolela receiving a WhatsApp message with a document titled “Little Love Letter” which also had a bank proof of payments into Ntsolela’s personal bank account.
In the “little love letter” to Ntsolela, the author wrote: “We hope this little lost gift finds its way back to you with love.”
“The next time, please ensure that sensitive receipts like these are handled with care. You need to thank us for taking care of this and it must not reach undeserving others. Have a great day and time Ntate Meyera (Mr Mayor) and please forget not to keep this as our little secret alone. In case you wonder what it is please turn to the following PAGE for your ease of consciousness. Yours truly, dependable and witness Cde Malcolm X,” read the letter.
In the proof of payment dated 14 June 2023, GMHM Construction and Projects transferred R52 000 into Ntsolela’s bank account.
On another proof of payment, GMHM made a payment to a car dealership for a vehicle that was allegedly bought for Phetla.
Phetla is accused and charged for corruption, and is currently out on bail with two employees of GMHM, after the police discovered that Phetla had received a bribe from GMHM in the form of a vehicle.
After receiving the “little love letter”, Ntsolela forwarded the letter to Phetla and wrote a WhatsApp message inquiring about the “love letter”.
“Look at what your person is trying to do,” Ntsolela asked Phetla and she responded: “How is that person, who is he/she.“
Ntsolela replied: “Mcgyver (Patrick Mokasule is from the GMHM company), Phetla replied: “oh is he my person? Since when”?
Ntsolela said to Phetla: “You organised this transaction”, Phetla then revealed in response to Ntsolela admitting that she had facilitated the transaction.
“I requested Mcgyver to assist you and you received cash that I can attest to, and this account transaction? Is it your account? If so, you organised it between yourselves. I was not part,” replied Phetla.
“It is fine, I just wanted to make you aware of what is happening in case you’re not aware. I’ll handle it,” replied Ntsolela to Phetla.
Phetla then said in response to Ntsolela that she would not dispute that it was she who requested Mokasule to assist the mayor get funds but she was not aware who had sent the “little love letter” to the mayor.
Ntsolela then replied to Phetla, stating that he would “handle it single handedly”, to which Phetla responded threatening Ntsolela.
“I hope so, otherwise if I am dragged into it, I won’t sit back and watch. I will fight back myself,” Phetla replied.
Ntsolela then concluded by telling Phetla that he deals with such things by himself.
Approached for comment, Ntsolela said that he took full responsibility for the transaction and that he had requested Phetla to help him fund-raise for his party.
“Firstly she didn’t threaten me, she was just making her intentions clear to fight with Mr Mokasulule to protect her reputation.
“I was acting in my capacity as the fund-raiser and I didn’t benefit personally from this payment. It was used for its intended purpose. You must have noticed that this happened before the CFO was arrested. I strongly believe that my actions are justified because outside my deployment position I have a political responsibility to execute for the benefit of my political home,” said Ntsolela.
Asked how the residents of Matlosana would percieve his actions where he was personally soliciting funds from a company receiving tenders from the municipality he leads, Ntsolela said there was nothing untoward about his leadership.
Mokasule, the husband of Nomthandazo Mokasule of GMHM, told the publication that both Phetla and Ntsolela had milked him for hundreds of thousands of rands in cash under the impression that he was donating to ANC activities in Matlosane.
“That little love letter was authored by Phetla to Ntsolela because those two always fight amongst themselves for money. Phetla told me she sent that letter to try and intimidate Ntsolela, but what is more shocking is that I made two different payments to Ntsolela but the money never reached the ANC.
“I wrote a letter to the ANC in Matlosana and asked if they had received my donations but to my surprise, only R19 000 made it to the organisation. The mayor must explain what he did with all the funds I gave him,” said Mokasule.
Phetla did not respond to questions from the publication. She has previously indicated that she would not respond.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za