THE Chief Financial Officer of the Matlosana municipality, Mercy Phetla, and the Whip of council, Khaya Ndincede, are accused of abusing a municipal vehicle and credit card for personal use at the expense of taxpayers.
In Municipal fleet records, which Sunday Independent has seen, and a letter written by Fleet Maintenance Unit superintendent Raymond Holele to his superiors, it has been revealed that Phetla instructed that Ndincede be provided with a Toyota Fortuner and a credit card belonging to the municipality.
Holele’s letter, dated November 15, details the matter.
“Around the first week of August 2023, I met the CFO at the financial building and she requested me to prepare the above-mentioned vehicle for the Chief Whip to use. On the 24 August 2023, the CFO sent me a WhatsApp message with a request to deliver the vehicle when done. Refer "Annexure A" attached as the message on WhatsApp.
“The vehicle was delivered to CFOs' office and received by Megan, the assistant to the CFO. Later it was delivered to Chief Whip by an officer from the Speaker’s office called Itumeleng Payi with kilometres 201 553. See attached log sheet as "annexure C".
“Few hours later in the afternoon of the same day, Itumeleng and the Chief Whip arrived at the garage to request the petrol card and I requested them to give the ID copy of whoever will be using it. Copy of Chief Whip’s was submitted to me and I requested him to sign for it,” read the letter.
Holele stated that on October 22, Chief Whip Ndincede sent him pictures of a vehicle rim and damaged tyre.
“I promised to attend to the vehicle the following day. The following day the Chief Whip sent me a location of where the vehicle was and I went there to collect it.
“When driving, the vehicle, the vehicle body vibrates when approaching 60 kilometres per hour. I did not receive a petrol card from Chief Whip until today, and the vehicle is at the garage not yet repaired, however a quotation of tyres was received from Friedenthal service provider to look at the alignment and vibration of the vehicle,” read Holele’s letter.
It was not clear what the municipal vehicle and credit card were being used for, especially, outside Matlosana municipality or the North West province.
According to municipal records of August 25, at around 3.25pm the credit card was used for fuel at Engen Spitsko, Langenhoven, in Bloemfontein.
On August 2 at 8:28am, the credit card was used to fill up petrol or diesel at Ultra City Que in Queenstown, Eastern Cape.
On August 27 at 3.22 pm, the credit card was used for fuel at Elliot Engen. Again on the same day at 7.02 pm, the credit card was at Engen, Langenhoven in Bloemfontein.
The following month, Ndincede continued swiping the credit card for fuel in various locations.
On September 4 around 2.54 pm, he used the card at Sadiki N12 NOR in Pretoria.
On September 9 at 7.44 pm, the credit card was used for fuel at Total Brites ST in Ngcobo.
Again on the same day at 11.53 pm, the card was used at Aliwal Auto in Aliwal North and the same continued the following day on September 10 at 5.30 pm where he swiped it for fuel in the same area.
On September 11, at 6.59 pm at JY motors, Orkney, the credit card was used to purchase fuel.
On September 27, at around 10:57 am the credit card was again used for fuel in Orkney.
On October 4, the records showed that the card was used for fuel at around 3.01pm in West End Dien, Lichtenburg.
The following day, October 5 at 3.40 pm, Ndincede used the card at Ultra city, Queenstown.
On the same day at 11:11am, Ndincede used the credit card at Engen Spitsko, Langenhoven in Bloemfontein.
On October 6, the card was used for fuel at Xolani Service in Engcobo.
No explanation has been provided on what these trips were for by either Ndincede or the CFO.
Sources with knowledge alleged that Ndicede has not returned the credit card to the municipality.
Contacted for comment, CFO Phetla and Whip Ndincede did not respond, however, Phetla contacted Independent Media management to complain that she was being abused after questions were asked about the municipal vehicle and the credit card.
Holele, who had handed over the vehicle and credit card to Phetla and Ndincede, said he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the municipality.
“I am very sorry that I can't give you such information. However, I can refer you to Ms Ntswaki Makhethe. Hope she will be able to give you the information you are looking for,” said Holele.
Matlosana spokesperson Ntswaki Mkgetha did not respond to questions despite promises to do so.