Free State municipal manager disputes claims of misappropriating money meant for ANC campaign
Lejweleputswa District municipal manager Motlatsi Makhetha has been accused of squandering R1.8 million meant for the ANC Free State election campaign.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity, from Masilonyana Municipality, which falls under Lejweleputswa, told ‘The Star’ that Makhetha demanded money from municipal managers from municipalities under the district.
“He (Makhetha) went around the district collecting these monies telling municipal officials that the organisation (ANC) didn’t have money to campaign and that they must donate this money to the party.
“However, we believe the organisation did not get this money, that he was asking from us because we know how he operates,” the source said.
ANC provincial treasurer and now appointed member of the executive Council (MEC) for Social Development, Mmathabo Leeto, distanced herself from Makhetha’s shenanigans, saying that as the party treasurer, she did not ask any official to source funds for the organisation.
“I know nothing of Makhetha’s fund-raising schemes for the ANC, we did not issue any instructions to him to as monies from other municipal managers in the district,” Leeto concluded.
The MEC is also no stranger to controversy as she was once accused of corruption, fraud and racketeering by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). However, the charges were later withdrawn by the NPA.
The charges relate to alleged R2 billion tender fraud that has crippled the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The company Gestetner allegedly paid money into the personal account of Leeto’s then husband after being awarded a R20m tender from the municipality.
When ‘The Star’ contacted Makhetha, he denied the allegations against him, saying they sought to tarnish his credibility and image.
“I did not collect any money from the local municipalities. There was no mandate, if it was mandate I would still refuse to do it,” Makhetha said.
He added that he wouldn’t rather follow an instruction that was illegal and that was not part of his key performance areas.
Makhetha emphasised that something of this nature would not be in line with his duties.He added that there was never a mandate from anyone to conduct any “illegal activities”.
The Star
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