The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in the North West Legislature has questioned the appointment of the current Chief Financial Officer of the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, based in Mogwase.
The municipality appointed Mzwandile Mkhize as CFO in 2018 and reappointed him in 2024. Mkhize previously served as Chief Financial Officer at the West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng.
Mkhize is also implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank matter, where he allegedly invested more than R347 million unlawfully in the now-defunct bank. He was later arrested on charges of fraud and corruption.
The committee concluded its public hearings on the implementation of the Municipal Finance Management Act in Rustenburg on Friday, where the municipality appeared to account for its 2024/2025 financial year.
During the hearing, SCOPA committee member Lerato Tsholo questioned Mkhize about the allegations against him.
Tsholo says, “Do you know anything about the allegations that were levelled against you in as far as corruption, payment or taking money and investing at VBS? There’s a VBS saga in this particular province, and if you can touch on your roles that you played during the VBS saga, including the issue of payment of senior managers, those are allegations levelled against you.”
Responding to the questions, Mkhize declined to comment, saying the matter is currently before the courts.
Mkhize says, “I’m mindful and aware of the allegations that are levelled against me, but however, one is not privy to comment further as currently, as it stands, the matter is before the courts in relation of what has been alleged pertaining to my alleged participation towards the VBS saga.”
SCOPA’s hearings form part of its oversight role in assessing municipal financial management and accountability in the province.
VBS Corruption | VBS Mutual Bank scandal:
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