By Staff Reporter
GIYANI-About 51 councillors and 210 employees at the Mopani District Municipality received their salaries twice on 20 December, and while the municipality says this was down to human error, the DA in Limpopo wants those responsible to be held accountable.
The municipality alleged that the double payments were due to a system error that resulted in overpayments to councillors and some employees.
However, it said that it was working tirelessly to ensure that the funds were returned and that it had also engaged with councillors and their banks to ensure that the funds were reversed.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo said it was concerned about the erroneous double salary payments and insisted on urgent consequences for all officials involved in the mix-up.
According to the party, the municipality intended to coordinate with the banks to reverse the erroneous payments within a span of 10 working days. It further called on all councillors who received the payments to promptly return the money. It also condemned the municipality’s indifferent approach in its handling of the matter.
Furthermore, the party has written to the municipal manager, Tshepo Mogano, to request a comprehensive cost recovery plan, including an urgent communication of banking details for the return of the duplicated payments to the council.
The municipality said it had started processes on recovering the money.
DA caucus leader in the Mopani District Municipality, Mahlatswa Ramalepe said all councillors from his party who received the duplicate payments have returned the money.
Ramalepe said this incident was another example of incompetence by the municipality and the erosion of its financial integrity.
Meanwhile, municipal spokesperson Odas Ngobeni said efforts to recover the money were underway.
“We have made arrangements with the banks, I may not have figures as to how many have already reversed because you know we are running at a skeletal [staff] – we don’t have anyone at the office but we have already agreed with the banks.”
Ngobeni said the incident was down to a simple human error that would not happen again.
