Mopani District Municipal Manager, Tshepo Mogano.
The Mopani District Municipality (MDM) has recovered almost 99% of the overpayment that was erroneously done in December 2023- R 4, 505 075.00.
According to the final Implementation report on overpayments of salaries, councillors were erroneously paid a total amount of R 665,840.81 – 100% percentage has been recovered to date.
The Deputy Managers were paid R 1,425,748.00, of which 100%; to date, have been recovered.
The managers were paid R 109,066.53, which 100% of the total amount to date has been recovered. The Senior Managers reporting to Municipal Manager were paid R 413,786.59, all the money was recovered through voluntary refunds.
The Expanded Public Works Programs (EPWP) workers were paid R 1,917,398.66 which 98.61 % has been recovered to date.
Odas Ngobeni, the municipal spokesperson, said “Only R22000 is outstanding from EPWP. The rest have paid back.The report was referred to the Financial Misconduct Board for further investigation.
Ngobeni said municipal Manager Tshepo Mogano issued the communique to all the affected parties (Councillors and Employees about the mistakes made and the recovery plans by the bank (FNB).
The recovery included means by the bank to reverse the money within 48 days or 10 working days after the monies were paid in different accounts.
Ngobeni add that: “On the 20th of December 2023 festivities the Budget and Treasury have processed the salaries for December 2023 including the payments of the Medical Aid, Pension Funds, and any other payments on the scheduled payment date to avoid late deductions due to holidays in December. The other reason was to avoid inconvenience during the festivities.
As a result, the Budget and Treasury erroneously included in the batch to the Third Parties the salaries to councilors, Senior Managers, and EPWP in the same batch to be paid on the scheduled date.
The DA through its councilor, Marie Helm says it has written to the municipal manager and the Speaker to follow up on the progress made to recovery of the money that is still impending.
Helm said “A report was tabled during a Council sitting on overpayment and underpayment of councillors, indicated that during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years senior officials were paid more than the Gazetted upper limits.
In terms of Government Gazette No 42023, of 8 November 2018, section 7 and 8, the upper limits of the annual total remuneration packages payable to municipal manager and managers directly accountable to the municipal manager of a grade 4 municipality are prescribed.
According to section 9(1) the offer of remuneration on appointment to a senior manager will be determined by the competences, qualifications, experience and knowledge of the candidate considered for appointment.” Helm said.
Mopani District municipal spokesperson, Odas Ngobeni.