Nelson Mandela Bay quadruples property portfolio after scam is uncovered
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has more than quadrupled its property portfolio after uncovering a scam it believes has fleeced the metro out of hundreds of millions of rand. This is according to a report commissioned by mayor Athol Trollip three months ago. The discovery comes after a land audit revealed thousands of "off the books" properties owned by the municipality all over the bay. Several municipal employees have been implicated in the scam. Trollip commissioned the probe following a presentation by corporate services that outlined thousands of leases of municipal property that were unaccounted for. Trollip also ordered a forensic audit into sub-directorates of both the corporate services and human settlements divisions. The report delves into the sub-letting of commercial‚ residential and vacant land by the municipality‚ which it was unaware it even owned. Trollip said the report would be given to the police for criminal investigation by early next year.
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