Stop The Rot: SCOPA Wants NPA To Prioritise Municipal Cases

Riyaz Patel

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) says there is massive looting at municipalities and has urged the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prioritise cases emanating from municipalities.

Scopa said their interactions with the 13 municipalities that have had adverse audit outcomes in three consecutive years, has made “clear that governance, financial management and contract management have collapsed.”

“For this reason, a special focus directed at municipalities is needed,” a Scopa statement said.

The country needs functional municipalities and therefore consequence management is key at that level of government, the statement added.

The Committee noted the SIU’s commitment to establish anti-corruption forums at local government level, which will “assist the process of cleaning up the rot at municipalities.”

Scopa Chair, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said the committee is further concerned over the