Francistown councillors have called for strict measures to be taken against officers at the city council who are involved in corrupt and unethical practices.
The infuriated councillors raised the concerns during a special full council meeting last Thursday.
After a brief presentation on the 2009 Auditor General Report by councillor Raoboy Mpuang, who is the Chairman of the Finance Committee at the council, the councillors expressed their dissatisfaction with the report saying that it is high time that officers who are involved in the mismanagement of funds, negligence of council projects and corruption practices are brought to book.
Mpuang had indicated in the report that there has been mismanagement of funds, corruption practices and negligence on council projects by some officers at the council.
“There is need for strict measures to be taken against these officers because they are negating the council’s efforts to deliver services to the public. If there are some who have already retired or who have been transferred, they should be traced and be brought to book. It is sad to note that at the end of the day we, as councillors, are blamed for failing to deliver services to the public due to the malpractices that were perpetrated by some council officers,” said former Mayor Shadreck Nyeku.
The councillor for Donga location, Ben Mpotokwane, also shared the same sentiments with Nyeku. He said that it is upon councillors to unite and purge out corruption which is taking a disturbing direction at the city council.
“Everything that belongs to the council should be well managed and be protected at all costs. We will never tolerate corruption because it is impacting on the council’s service delivery efforts and tarnishing its image,” he said.
Tabengwa Tabengwa, who is the councillor for Ikageng Ward, took issue with the Auditor General’s Report saying that it takes long to be availed to councillors. He said that by the time the report is availed to them, most of the perpetrators would have retired from the civil service or gone for transfers.
“This report was compiled in 2009, and we are only availed the report now after four years. It is possible that some of the perpetrators have since left the council through transfers and some have even retired. These culprits need to be traced and be brought to book,” he said.
All the councillors resolved that they should devise strategies to curb corruption at FCC and should bring the culprits to book.
