The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg, has requested an urgent investigation into alleged fraud, corruption, and governance failures at the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA). This request has been submitted to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Godongwana, and the Auditor General of South Africa, Adv. Tsakane Maluleke.
Note to Editors: Please find an English soundbite by Cllr Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku here
The DA is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency, accountability, and adherence to governance processes within the JRA, which has led to significant financial mismanagement and monies returned to treasury. This has compromised service delivery to the residents of Johannesburg.
Key allegations include:
- Procurement irregularities in the rehabilitation of Lilian Ngoyi Street, involving inflated costs and questionable contractor appointments;
- Violations of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) regulations, including potential abuse of emergency procurement processes;
- Allegations of bribery, nepotism, and political interference in the appointment of senior management and contractors that are politically aligned to councillors; and
- Contempt towards the Section 79 Oversight Committee for Transport, with senior officials and the MMC failing to provide critical information or attend meetings.
The DA has flagged several contracts for investigation, citing concerns over possible inflated contract values and irregular procurement processes.
In addition, the DA has requested that senior officials and departments within the JRA, including the Senior Management and Supply Chain Management, be thoroughly investigated for their roles in enabling or failing to prevent improper practices.
The DA has outlined the following objectives for the investigation:
- Expose instances of fraud and corruption.
- Recover funds lost through irregular expenditure.
- Ensure accountability by holding implicated officials and political office bearers responsible.
The residents of Johannesburg deserve transparency, accountability, and good governance. The Alleged corruption and mismanagement at the JRA could be the cause of residents having to drive on pothole ridden roads, traffic lights not working, stormwater drainage flooded which is completely are unacceptable and must be addressed to restore public trust and protect public funds.
The DA remains committed to fighting corruption and ensuring that public funds meant for residents are spent to improve service delivery and road infrastructure for the residents of Johannesburg.