June 9, 2004
By Ndaba Dlamini
FIVE officials in the City of Johannesburg's housing department have been suspended following a preliminary investigation into allegations of bribery and procurement irregularities.
The Housing Department's housing manager for Region 8, Joseph Mashota, and project managers Meshack Lesiela, Hyton Mashapa, Thabiso Mfeya and Joanna Pogulis have all been suspended on full pay with immediate effect, the City's communications director Gabu Tugwana said in a statement.
The alleged corruption cases involve dealings with private companies contracted by the City on housing development projects.
Capital projects being undertaken by the Housing Department for the 2003/4 financial year include significant investments in the Mayibuye and People's Housing Process and Consolidation (PHP) programmes, as well as housing and hostel developments.
The projects are intended to assist people to become "owners in their own homes" and provide essential services. Several housing projects have each been allocated budgets of over R2-million, with the Kliptown Institutional Project receiving R25-million.
The responsibilities of the Housing Department include housing facilitation through the provision of housing opportunities, informal settlement management and invasions management, selling, transfer and management of council-owned rental stock.
The City currently has between 250 000 and 300 000 people on its housing backlog list.
The officials' suspension comes in the wake of the suspension of Keith Sendwe, CEO of the Revenue Shared Services Centre (RSSC), pending an enquiry into "non-perfomance and other irregularities".
City Manager Pascal Moloi said the suspension of the five officials was "taken in line with the City's clear stance on ensuring clean administration and conducting fair business with all service providers".
The City is in the process of laying charges with the South African Police, the statement said.
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