Update

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Western Cape Minister of Local Government Anton Bredell has not decided yet whether a Section 106 investigation will be launched into allegations of maladministration, corruption, fraud and/or serious malpractice at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM).

Allegations that GRDM's municipal manager, Monde Stratu, has received overpayment as well as gratuity payments, have been a hot topic of discussion in a few council meetings this year that were closed to the public and the media. 

Gratuity payments to Stratu and political office staff members, as well as Stratu's salary scale, which is allegedly above the normal threshold of a district municipality, are among the allegations questioned by Bredell's office.

Spokesperson for Bredell, Wouter Kriel, confirmed on Tuesday that, "at this stage, no decision has yet been made to launch a Section 106 investigation. However, Minister Bredell did launch an assessment in terms of Section 5 of the Western Cape Monitoring and Support of Municipalities Act.

"It examines allegations he received about the Garden Route District Municipality, and one of the points is the salaries of municipal managers. The Western Cape Act requires the Minister to objectively consider all the information at his disposal before proceeding with a Section 106 investigation in terms of the Municipal Systems Act."

GRDM's head of communications Herman Pieters said they will not be providing comment on the matter.