A social media row over the alleged misuse of municipal petrol cards has landed civic movement leader Bulelani Bunyonyo in court after the Sakhisizwe municipality mayor and speaker filed a case.
Sakhisizwe mayor Boniswa Ponoshe and council speaker Nomzamo Mkati are under investigation for fraud relating to the alleged misuse of municipal fuel cards for their private cars.
The iXhalanga Civic Movement, led by Bunyonyo, opened the cases against them in October 2024.
On November 18, both Mkati and Ponoshe then applied for a harassment order against Bunyonyo for him to refrain from speaking “ill” against them in public and on social media.
In her affidavit, Mkati said Bunyonyo had spread allegations about her misusing municipal petrol cards for her private vehicle.
“He said I’m corrupt and he continued to update social media with all what he is doing against my name.
“If he feels there is any corruption activity I have done, it is his right to open a case to authorise and investigate me, then he should wait for the outcomes of the case,” she said.
“I am afraid to go to the shops in Cala because there are people who judge me badly with the belief that I’m corrupt.”
Ponoshe, in her affidavit, said Bunyonyo had accused her of witchcraft and was associating anyone who died in Cala with her.
Ponoshe further accused Bunyonyo of being a stumbling block to service delivery in the municipality.
On Friday, Bunyonyo appeared in the Cala magistrate’s court for contravention of the harassment order.
Both cases were postponed to March 19.
When contacted, Mkati and Ponoshe both declined to comment.
Bunyonyo said he had filed an intention to oppose both applications of protection orders based on harassment.
“The magistrate was clear that applicants will have to restrict their evidence on harassment. In doing so they will have to prove all legal elements of harassment,” he said.
Bunyonyo had also taken the matter to ANC provincial structures with the hope that both Mkati and Ponoshe be summoned before the party’s integrity committee.
“We have since taken a step towards tabling the issue of [alleged] fuel cards mismanagement in Sakhisizwe to the provincial secretary of the ANC to process the matter in terms of Clause 3.4 of the ANC’s step-aside guidelines.
“The two accused councillors are senior deployees of the ANC. We believe that it is time for the ANC to be seen to be doing what it says in public.
“As civic organisations we are overjoyed by the fact that despite lacking resources, we are able to make very powerful government politicians accountable,” he said.
Municipal documents show that the vehicle used by Ponoshe was allegedly filled up three times between Komani and eMaXesibeni in November 2022, for a total of R5,500, a small fraction of her hefty salary.
Cala police spokesperson Namhla Mdleleni confirmed a case of fraud had been opened for investigation.
The case was then transferred to eMaXesibeni.
Meanwhile, Mkati is alleged to have misused petrol cards between October and December 2022.
This was allegedly done by forging the registration of a municipal vehicle that had been taken in for repairs.
A case of fraud was opened against her at the Cala police station on October 24 by the iXhalanga Civic Movement.
In violation of the municipality’s fleet management rules, the council ordered the implicated staff to reimburse the costs rather than face criminal proceedings.
The Sakhisizwe council had recommended the matter be sent to the municipal public accounts committee (Mpac) and Chris Hani district municipality’s legal services department for a legal opinion.
According to an Mpac report, the vehicle allegedly used by Mkati was said to not be functioning and was booked in for maintenance by the time the petrol card was used.
The report further highlights that another vehicle, not linked to Mkati, was filled up in another province despite it being deemed as a non-functioning vehicle.
The municipality did not have a transport officer during the period.
According to the municipality’s fleet policy, law enforcement authorities are authorised to apprehend and charge municipal staff for contravention or misuse of the municipality’s vehicles when it amounts to theft and fraud.
Despite this, a special council meeting held in October 2023 resolved that the implicated staff should repay the amounts, face a disciplinary hearing and the municipality must prioritise the employment of a permanent transport officer.
Six of the nine councillors voted in favour of the ruling and three voted against it.
Mkati was excused from the meeting. She is said to have repaid the amount after the resolution.
Mkati’s total fuel costs are said to be just more than R9,000, while more costs, amounting to hundreds of thousands by staff members, are being looked at by the municipality.
Daily Dispatch
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