Emfuleni awaits internal probe before acting against seven employees

The Emfuleni Local Municipality in the Vaal in Gauteng says it will await the criminal processes and its internal investigation to unfold before action can be taken against the seven employees implicated in criminal activity .

The seven Emfuleni Municipality employees appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on Monday over an alleged R150,000 electricity reconnection scheme.

It is alleged that residents and businesses were charged to have their electricity illegally restored.

They allegedly manipulated municipal records to show reduced outstanding balances, while the original debts remained.

Emfuleni Local Municipality’s Mayoral Spokesperson, Lucky Shashaoka, says the municipality is not in a position to suspend them at this stage.

“The municipality will institute its own internal investigation on the conclusion of such an investigation.

Appropriate action will be taken by the municipality.

So, we just have to wait for two parallel processes to run, the criminal case and also the internal investigation wherein applicable labour laws will be used.” VIDEO | The seven Emfuleni Local Municipality employees are facing four counts including tempering with essential infrastructure: -Report by Thabiso Radebe