The Lekwa Municipality in Standerton, Mpumalanga is embroiled in a corruption scandal after five municipal employees were implicated in an alleged fuel fraud scheme, costing the already struggling municipality millions of rand.
Fraud Uncovered
An internal investigation revealed that the accused employees allegedly misused municipal petrol cards for personal vehicles, siphoning off an estimated R100,000 per week. Municipal officials estimate that if the fraud had continued unchecked, losses could have reached R6 million annually.
“The suspension of the five workers is imminent, and more employees are being investigated,” a municipal representative stated. However, authorities suspect the scheme may involve more individuals. “There’s no way five employees alone could use this much fuel—this likely runs deeper,” the official added.
To determine the full extent of the fraud, the municipality will request council approval for a forensic investigation.
Service Delivery Collapses Amid Corruption
The scandal has further strained the cash-strapped municipality, which is already failing to provide basic services. Residents face severe water shortages, sewage spillages, and crumbling roads.
“The money stolen should have been used for service delivery. We have a water crisis, dirty streets, and roads full of potholes. Corruption is a crime, and we won’t tolerate it,” said an EFF representative, who plans to open a criminal case against the implicated workers.
Residents Demand Action
Frustrated locals lament the deteriorating conditions. “Our water is dirty, streets are filthy, and roads are nearly impassable. We plead with the municipality to fix our broken pipes—people are living in squalor,” one resident said.
While the municipality has deployed water tankers as a stopgap measure, residents demand long-term solutions. Officials remain confident they will recover the stolen funds, but trust in local governance continues to erode.
As investigations unfold, the Lekwa Municipality faces mounting pressure to root out corruption and restore essential services for its struggling community.
