THE suspended boss of the Nkomazi municipality in Mpumalanga believes he is the victim of a political conspiracy.
THE suspended boss of the Nkomazi municipality in Mpumalanga believes he is the victim of a political conspiracy.
Since being suspended on November 4 last year for "corruption" Sabelo Shabangu has yet to be charged.
"Any political problem takes time to finalise, which is why it has taken a year for the council to conclude my case," he says.
Shabangu claims he is being purged for trying to discipline municipal chief financial officer Sheila Mabaso, who he charged with irregularities and misconduct related to financial matters.
"Four days after I charged Mabaso on October 31 last year I was suspended and ordered not to set my foot on the municipal premises," Shabangu said.
"My suspension is influenced by politicians and businessmen whose companies might have benefited from the municipality because of their close relationship with Mabaso.
"These people see me as an obstacle and want me out of the way," he says.
Shabangu also accuses Mabaso of not providing the integrity management unit with all the required documents when it was investigating why Tarfix, a company appointed to tar a road in the area, was paid R3million extra.
"Mabaso failed to provide the investigators with the minutes of the bid adjudication committee that approved the increment. This created the impression that I had approved it without the committee's concern," he says.
He says because of this misinformation the unit ordered him to repay the money, which he says he won't do.
'I AM A VICTIM OF A POLITICAL SCHEME'
THE suspended boss of the Nkomazi municipality in Mpumalanga believes he is the victim of a political conspiracy.
THE suspended boss of the Nkomazi municipality in Mpumalanga believes he is the victim of a political conspiracy.
Since being suspended on November 4 last year for "corruption" Sabelo Shabangu has yet to be charged.
"Any political problem takes time to finalise, which is why it has taken a year for the council to conclude my case," he says.
Shabangu claims he is being purged for trying to discipline municipal chief financial officer Sheila Mabaso, who he charged with irregularities and misconduct related to financial matters.
"Four days after I charged Mabaso on October 31 last year I was suspended and ordered not to set my foot on the municipal premises," Shabangu said.
"My suspension is influenced by politicians and businessmen whose companies might have benefited from the municipality because of their close relationship with Mabaso.
"These people see me as an obstacle and want me out of the way," he says.
Shabangu also accuses Mabaso of not providing the integrity management unit with all the required documents when it was investigating why Tarfix, a company appointed to tar a road in the area, was paid R3million extra.
"Mabaso failed to provide the investigators with the minutes of the bid adjudication committee that approved the increment. This created the impression that I had approved it without the committee's concern," he says.
He says because of this misinformation the unit ordered him to repay the money, which he says he won't do.