The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has called for an urgent full lifestyle audits of all City of Johannesburg (COJ) officials following corruption links with service providers.

In a statement, DA caucus leader in Johannesburg, Belinda Kayser-Ehceozonjoku said they have written a letter to the auditor-general (AG) to investigate possible violations of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and Municipal Systems Act.

The letter was also extended to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and National Treasury.

This comes after the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) revealed that there had been collusion between the city officials responsible for supply chain, politicians, and service providers.

According to the DA, the SIU has found a serious problem that needs to be addressed right away by the auditing and financial authorities.

"If the supply chain has been corrupted, other departments are just as susceptible," it said. Council members are prohibited from participating in tender bidding or any other activity related to contract procurement per the Municipal Finance Management Act.

SIU CEO Andy Mothibi told Parliament last week that there have been anomalies found in the tender awarding process, with instances of collusion between service providers and city authorities raising significant concerns.

The DA has highlighted a governance crisis in Johannesburg, where the city repeatedly incurs punitive cost orders in court cases it loses, yet refuses to disclose the total amount spent.

Recently, the DA reported a questionable R236 million water tanker tender to the National Treasury for investigation.

Additionally, public representatives have been blocked from conducting oversight at sites such as the Johannesburg Art Gallery by executive members.

Kayser-Ehceozonjoku said these incidents show the lengths that officials and the current administration will go to, to obstruct oversight and avoid accountability.

"We will continue to hold those responsible for the city’s decay to account. Even if we need to open the criminal cases ourselves. We demand accountability," she said.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics