Key Points
- A prison sentence was given to the former municipal manager after he engaged in tender corruption which led to a R1.8 million financial loss.
- Strong evidence showed that Kubheka violated procurement policies during his time in office.
- The court required Kubheka to serve no jail time if he maintains good conduct throughout the upcoming five years.
Former Dr JS Moroka Municipality municipal manager Thammy Nelson Kubheka received a two-year imprisonment term or R50,000 fine for tender corruption which led to R1.8 million loss for the local administration.
Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found Kubheka responsible for breaking the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) when he was 53 years old.
Municipal manager received sentence for tender irregularities and financial loss
During his time as municipal manager between 2019 and the present Kubheka appointed six service providers by circumventing established procurement procedures.
Kubheka’s conviction involved 36 initial charges based on clear evidence obtained from the Chief Financial Officer and municipal employees who showed that municipal procurement policies received no attention during the procurement events.
The illegal procurement exposed major financial losses that harmed the municipality while it faced financial difficulties.
Court ruling and community impact
According to the court, Kubheka violated public trust and carried out financial mismanagement operations that severely damaged the municipal institution.
The public outburst of protests involving faeces attacks on municipal offices coincides with the sentencing period after October 2019 when residents demanded local leadership accountability.
Municipal manager received sentence, as part of his total punishment Kubheka faced two years imprisonment however the court allowed him to skip a subsequent two-year term only if he maintained a clean legal record over five years.
