By Thapelo Molefe
The governing party in South Africa’s administrative capital has turned its guns inward, accusing senior officials in the City of Tshwane of corruption, sabotage and financial mismanagement that it says are crippling service delivery.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, ANC Greater Tshwane Region presented what it described as documented evidence of widespread wrongdoing, including alleged tender manipulation, unexplained wealth and the failure to submit annual financial statements on time.
Regional secretary George Matjila said the party was demanding the immediate tabling of a report to council recommending the precautionary suspension of the City’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Gareth Mnisi.
Mnisi has come under fire from the regional ANC, which accuses him of failing to submit the annual financial statements for the 2023/24 financial year on time, in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
Mnisi is also accused of influencing the awarding of contracts.
“In the 2023 to 2024 financial year, the CFO failed to submit the Annual Financial Statements on time, a direct breach of the Municipal Finance Management Act,” Matjila said.
“The situation is untenable and deteriorating.”
He further alleged that the CFO’s tenure has been marked by a ballooning of irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and raised concerns about “unexplained wealth” revealed during court proceedings in the official’s divorce case.
ANC spokesperson Joel Masilela Ka Mahlangu said the party was acting in the interests of residents, despite leading the coalition government in Tshwane.
“Transparency is a duty to residents. Informing the public is part of strengthening accountability, not an admission of inaction,” he said.
“Wherever corruption shows its ugly head, the ANC will act decisively.”
The party also alleged irregularities in key tenders, including road and transport projects, a long-delayed security contract, and a toilets project in informal settlements that it said was cancelled and extended without proper reporting.
It claimed that some suppliers were handpicked and that departments were forced to deviate from planned projects due to the conduct of the finance department.
Matjila said dossiers would be handed to law enforcement agencies and that the party would use “all available council mechanisms” to push for a full, independent forensic investigation.
“This is only the beginning,” he said.
“We will not allow any official to use his position to undermine the authority of parties elected to serve our people.”
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