GEORGE NEWS - No irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure occurred as a result of the payment mechanism used in the George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN), commonly known as Go George. 

So says municipal spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose, who confirmed that the offices of National Treasury and the Auditor-General are satisfied: "National Treasury declared that they accepted the previous payment method utilised."

The payment system between George Municipality and the Provincial Department of Transport was questioned in a report compiled by Brasika Consulting Managing Director, Advocate Helen Venter, back in 2017.

Since the full report served in Council at a recent meeting, it sparked renewed interest and received widespread criticism.

Former CFO Keith Jordaan sent a strong-worded letter to George Herald in this regard, stating that all payments made to Province to date - roughly

R238-million - could be found to be irregular expenditure and must be treated as such, if the payments were not approved by National Treasury annually. He furthermore alleged that the municipal manager, Trevor Botha, has misled everyone, including National Treasury, on the matter. However, National Treasury confirmed to George Herald that they have not been misled by Botha. Treasury said clarity was provided in a meeting in January this year between all the stakeholders. In the official municipal response to Jordaan's allegations, Edwards-Klose maintained that none of Jordaan's allegations hold water.

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