The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni has called for the immediate suspension of the city manager, as well as for an investigation into a R12-million payment to a risk-management company.
The DA’s Rika Hunter said on Tuesday that city manager Peter Flusk failed to consult the council when he appointed Dehal Attorneys to act on behalf of Robert McBride, the chief of the Ekurhuleni metro police.
Hunter said the attorneys’ payments exceeded the R10 000 that was allowed by the council, and Flusk did not consult when the figure rose.
”R500 000 was used on McBride’s legal services and we are against this. It is public funds and it should be paid back,” Hunter said.
Pasco Risk Management had been appointed to investigate allegations of fraud and illegal activities taking place in the metro’s Alberton workshop division in 2005.
Hunter said the initial R100 000 allocated to the investigation was within the council’s limit. The investigations then expanded to other areas and Flusk should have consulted the council on additional funds.
In this instance the DA would have supported the investigation.
”The DA is against any fraud or irregular activities. We want to see openness and transparency and therefore would have supported the inquiry fully,” Hunter said.
She said R12-million paid to Pasco Risk Management was a ”wasteful expenditure.”
The Ekurhuleni municipality could not be reached for comment. — Sapa