Furore swells over fraud claims against Bitou MM

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Just as it seemed as if Bitou could finally wave its municipal manger troubles goodbye after years of turmoil, a furore has erupted over its newly appointed acting municipal manager after his qualifications were called into question.

It has not only led to an internal investigation, but also a case of fraud being opened by local police. Both the Bitou Municipality and the ACC are vehemently denying the allegations.

The situation arose from the recent, unexpected resignation of Acting Municipal Manager Richard Bosman. During a council meeting on 31 January, Bitou's expenditure manager Ntho Maredi was appointed to act in the position of municipal manger.

Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM), one of Bitou's opposition parties, laid a complaint of fraud at the Plettenberg Bay Police Station against Maredi on Friday 4 February after allegedly receiving information that Maredi does not have the qualifications he claims to have.

IPM president Nokuzola Kolwapi said the qualification they are questioning is a national diploma in cost and management accounting.

"Cost and management accounting is a highly important qualification for senior managers within the finance department. It ensures that the officials handling public funds know what they are doing. Therefore, for Maredi to be recruited while his qualifications were not up to standard was highly irregular," Kolwapi said. This is the reason why they decided to approach the police.

Maredi has since disputed that fraudulent academic credentials had been submitted. He said that he is currently in the final year of his doctorate degree with Unisa.

"As a result, there is no way that an academic institution such as Unisa can allow anyone to register an NQF level 10 qualification (a doctorate degree) with fraudulent qualifications or not in possession of a master's degree. Our universities possess integrated qualification vetting systems which are linked to global universities," Maredi responded in writing.

He wrote that he has completed more competency unit standards than the ones required for municipal managers. He also has 15 years' experience within the municipal environment, most of which was in financial management. This, he said, is more than the five years required by regulations.

Encompassing investigation

In a statement Bitou Mayor Dave Swart said he had ordered an urgent investigation into the situation.

He labelled the situation as a "tangibly orchestrated media smear campaign" and said it had highlighted "prima facie evidence" that serious transgressions of the Popi Act, the code of conduct applicable to councillors and breaches of the access control system of the municipality had been committed.

Swart will appoint an internal investigative team, assisted by a former Bitou municipal manager and current Bitou speaker, to "urgently investigate this and related matters".

He said that the investigation will include looking at the relevance of the contested historical qualification; the removal and public dissemination of historical filed documentation from the personal file of Maredi by unauthorised employees, and laxness in the use of the access control and CCTV surveillance systems in the municipal building.

"[It will also include] a comprehensive investigation into the competencies, academic qualifications, and relevant experience of all serving managers and senior managers. Section 56 managers have had their appointments ratified by the MEC of Local Government. In this regard the brief will include an audit of potential undeclared, but still active business interests as well as pending criminal charges," Swart said.

IPM president Nokuzola Kolwapi lays a complaint of fraud at the Plettenberg Bay Police Station over the qualifications of Bitou Action Municipal Manager Ntho Maredi.