Those opposing the programme say it was not advertised but was instead given to those who are close to politicians.
The eMalahleni local municipality in Witbank has promised to investigate allegations of nepotism in a programme that saw a score of young people being enrolled to go train as traffic cops.
The programme allegedly picked up the friends, relatives and ‘girlfriends’ of influential politicians in the municipality, while also apparently not advertising it for anyone with interest to apply and go train.
But municipal spokesman Lebogang Mofokeng said an advert was put out in December 2018.
Mofokeng said qualifying candidates were required to have a matric certificate, be medically fit and have a valid drivers license.
He said mayor Linah Malatjie had promised she would investigate and try establish whether certain names of graduates ring a bell.
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The young people graduated recently and obtained their certificates in systems of traffic management.
This week SANCO marched to the mayor’s office to raise concerns about the issue, releasing the names of the graduates who are known to be connected to politicians.
The DA this week Monday 20 January 2020 also added its voice, saying the eMalahleni municipality has become “a family institution”, where individuals are employed “based on who they know and not what they know”.
DA councillor Lizelle Steyn also released the names of graduates in a press statement and said the 20 graduates involve arts and culture MEC Lindiwe Ntshalintshali’s son and nephew, the son of community services MMC Derrick Skhosana, daughter of community services director Selati Matlejoane, as well as the alleged girlfriend of former ANCYL leader Mduduzi ‘Mswati’ Nkosi, current youth league regional secretary Thabang Mathebula’s wife and municipal public account (MPAC) chairperson Jerry Djiana Mjerdza’s son.
“This is completely unacceptable and intolerable that family members of the ANC politicians have easily benefited from the system while many of the eMalahleni youth remains unemployed,” said Steyn, adding they will be submitting written questions to municipal manager Sizwe Mayisela demanding answers to the issue.
During a meeting with SANCO Monday morning this week, Malatjie said the municipality had not employed any individual from the group of trained officers but reiterated that this was a training internship that was meant to alleviate the challenges of unemployment in the area.
The municipality this week said following the allegations, Malatjie met with members of SANCO in an attempt to establish facts on the nepotism allegations.
“In the meeting the mayor promised to establish an investigation into the allegations and will then revert back to SANCO with findings on Friday 24 January 2020,” said Mofokeng.
(edited by MLM)
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