At the start of 2025, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya confirmed in answer to a written question by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that a number of senior officials in the Tshwane metro had been overpaid in the 2019/20 financial year. [Salary A&Q 30 Jan]
English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Jacqui Uys
It is unclear how the overpayment came about, whether by error or as part of the payment irregularities that have led to disciplinary action against senior officials emanating from this period.
In most instances, the overpayments were recouped from salary increases awarded to senior officials. In four instances, officials signed agreements to pay back the undue money in instalments.
In subsequent questions to Mayor Moya in May, the DA tried to establish the extent of the overpayment and what the municipality was doing to recoup the rest of the undue payouts. [Salary Q&A May]
At the time the overpayments happened, Moya served first as head of the chief whip’s office and later as chief of staff to Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa.
We wanted to know whether Moya was one of the senior officials who had been overpaid, and if so, if she had repaid the undue money or made arrangements to do so.
Moya evaded the question by pointing out a technical error in the premise of the DA’s question. In June, the DA rephrased our question to ensure that the Mayor understood the question. [Salary Q&A June]
As an additional measure we wrote to Tshwane City Manager, Johann Mettler asking him provide the Mayor with the necessary financial records of the municipality so that she does not mislead Council. [Letter to the City Manager]
On 25 June the DA received a response from Mettler indicating that he had furnished Moya with the necessary information to answer the question. [SL CM 06 25 313] The same day, Moya committed to sharing the information once it had been confirmed as ‘accurate and complete’.
Two months later, and despite repeated follow-ups with Moya’s office, she has still not provided the DA with an answer. The DA therefore calls on Moya to confirm whether or not she was paid undue money by the municipality, and if so, if and when she has made arrangements to pay back the money.