- Council employees are also being investigated for imprest and irregular public procurement
- Mayor and Town Clerk had met with head of DCEC
TEFO PHEAGE
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) is investigating irregular allocation of Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) plots at Gaborone City Council.
SHHA was established in 1973 to assist low and middle-lower income earners to access housing in urban areas.
News of the investigation was revealed by the Mayor of Gaborone, Father Maphongo, who said the municipality of Botswana’s capital city is also being probed for irregularities in public procurement.
Speaking at the ongoing Full Council this week, Maphongo said he and the Town Clerk recently met with the Director General of DCEC, Tymon Katlholo, about some cases that are being investigated and that most of the cases have also been exposed in internal audits of the council.
It is understood that DCEC has identified councils as institutions where corruption is rife in huge numbers and has committed to keeping a eye on them. The full council also heard that some of cases relate to imprest and fraud by employees of the city council and are being investigated by Botswana Police Service.
Maphongo took the opportunity to warn council employees to desist from corrupt activities, saying the long arm of the law is never far.