Acting municipal manager ordered to repay irregular salary
· Citizen
The seconded municipal manager of Tswaing municipality in North West has been ordered to repay the salary he unlawfully received after his secondment period was irregularly extended by the municipal council.
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Acting municipal manager Sello Maroga was seconded to Tswaing by the provincial MEC for cooperative governance, housing and traditional affairs from 1 November 2024 to 30 June 2025.
This was after a request by mayor Norah Mahlangu, who was concerned about management at the municipality.
His appointment followed the suspension of municipal manager Shadrack Mere, who was facing disciplinary proceedings. Maroga was delegated with full powers as acting municipal manager.
Forensic probe uncovers irregularities
However, a forensic investigation ordered by the MEC into allegations of maladministration pointed at Maroga and the Tswaing municipal council.
The investigation revealed that instead of receiving only an allowance covering the difference between his provincial salary and that of a municipal manager, he was paid the full municipal manager’s salary in contravention of local government regulations.
The probe also found that Tswaing council unlawfully extended Maroga’s secondment to 31 August 2025, despite his employment contract with the provincial department having expired.
This rendered the extension null and void.
Questions over accountability and oversight
The investigators concluded that the council’s special resolution to bear the cost of his salary beyond the secondment period violated regulations and amounted to misrepresentation.
The report also noted there was no evidence of any instruction from the provincial department authorising the municipality to pay Maroga’s full salary.
The council’s resolution to extend his secondment, therefore, had no legal effect. Investigators recommended that undue payments made to Maroga be recovered without delay.
Pressure mounts for repayment and explanations
They further directed the municipality to provide a written explanation as to why the salaries were paid, contrary to the secondment agreement, and should not be declared wasteful and fruitless expenditure.
The municipal manager must also submit a written account of steps taken to inform the mayor, MEC and the auditor-general about the irregular payments.
Mahlangu earlier demanded an explanation and wrote to Maroga that he pay back the money.