Emfuleni 'ghost fleet' scandal: Municipal manager files criminal charges over R16m fraud

Emfuleni municipal manager April Ntuli has filed a criminal complaint against seven municipal employees and several service providers over R16 million in irregular fleet spending.

The complaint, opened at Vanderbijlpark police station on Friday, involves alleged gross mismanagement of assets, including their verification, acquisition, maintenance and insurance.

The municipality said disciplinary action is underway against those implicated.

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It adds that companies involved and their directors will be blacklisted.

The fleet procurement scandal relates to allegations that the troubled municipality spent more than R16 million on 17 vehicles, but only six were delivered, and just two now remain.

Investigations show payments were made through an approved contract, yet several vehicles never arrived and at least one is unaccounted for.

Irregularities include signed delivery invoices for missing vehicles, duplicate engine numbers and assets registered to third parties.

Some delivered equipment also reportedly broke down shortly after use.

The municipality is now vowing tough action against those implicated and says it’s handed evidence to the national prosecuting authority.

But spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni has again denied that murdered senior clerk Martha Rantsofu was a whistleblower on the matter, saying the findings came from an internal investigation.

"The lady was not a whistleblower at all. And she was a very junior staff and the matter of R16 million, and her death are not related at all. It’s just a coincidence she passed on when recently we’ve had this scandal. And now people who are political opportunists want to mention matters that are unrelated."

He added that the municipality remains committed to restoring public trust.

Meanwhile, police investigations into Rantsofu’s assassination-style killing are continuing.