PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Suspended Bitou Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani is making waves amid his suspension following reports that he approved a reimbursement of R92 546 for household furniture purchased by the municipality's chief financial officer, Chris-topher Mapeyi. The latest controversy comes as he remains under scrutiny after the Western Cape High Court declared the controversial R4.2m settlement agreement that concluded in Memani's favour to be unlawful and ordered that the money be repaid.

The reimbursement relates to household furniture reportedly purchased by Mapeyi shortly after taking up his position at Bitou Municipality in June 2025. The items reportedly included a leather couch, armchair, sideboard and footstool.

Relocation reimbursement

Documents relating to the reimbursement state that Mapeyi requested reimbursement after purchasing household furniture as part of his relocation to Plettenberg Bay. According to the documents, he had been informed that municipal accommodation was unavailable, stayed in temporary accommodation at his own expense, and purchased furniture because his household belongings could not be transported in time. The documents indicate that the R92 546 claim was approved by then municipal manager Mbulelo Memani, under his delegated authority.

The matter also follows questions raised during Mapeyi's appointment as Bitou's chief financial officer in 2025. At the time, the Plettenberg Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association questioned aspects of the appointment process, including the remuneration package that was ultimately negotiated. However, no court has ruled that Mapeyi's appointment was unlawful, and no findings of misconduct have been made against him in relation to his appointment.

Investigation under way

Publicly available municipal communication indicates that the reimbursement was processed in terms of existing administrative delegations and therefore did not require council approval. It also states that Acting Municipal Manager Friedel Williams initiated an investigation to determine whether all applicable municipal policies, procedures and legislative requirements had been followed.

At this stage, no findings of misconduct have been made against either Memani or Mapeyi in relation to the reimbursement.

The Knysna-Plett Herald submitted questions to Bitou Municipality seeking clarity on whether Mapeyi's employment contract provides for relocation benefits, whether the municipality's relocation policy permits reimbursement for household furniture, whether similar benefits have previously been granted to senior officials, whether the furniture is regarded as municipal or personal property, and which municipal officials reviewed and approved the reimbursement before payment.

The municipality had not responded by the time of publication. The Plettenberg Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association was also approached for comment.

Calls for accountability

Meanwhile, the Plett Democratic Congress (PDC) has called for a full investigation into the matter, describing the allegations as sufficiently serious to warrant independent scrutiny while noting they remain unproven.

The party has called for the disclosure of procurement documentation, the tabling of the matter before Council, and an independent forensic investigation where warranted. It has also called for the matter to be referred to law enforcement authorities should evidence of criminal conduct emerge, and urged the Auditor-General and Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, to scrutinise the expenditure.

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