MAHIKENG, North West — Sweeping criminal charges against the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality leadership have been filed by former Acting Municipal Manager Dr. Auchalie Mothupi, citing a severe breakdown in governance and a deliberate failure to address deep-rooted financial and administrative misconduct.
Initiating the legal intervention to protect public funds, Dr. Mothupi pointed to a total collapse of internal oversight as the compelling reason for his actions. He alleges that the municipality’s political leadership has consistently ignored damning findings from multiple audits and forensic investigations, effectively shielding corrupt officials from consequence management.
A Collapse of Oversight and Accountability
According to Dr. Mothupi, the district municipality turned a blind eye to critical reports from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the Auditor General, and independent forensic investigators. This includes a highly anticipated forensic report compiled by the Modiboa Attorneys, which was officially handed over to the municipality in April.
When Dr. Mothupi attempted to enforce accountability and initiate consequence management protocols, he faced fierce resistance from local councilors. He claims this opposition was a clear message that the political leadership intends to allow corruption to persist under their watch, a stance he refused to be complicit in.
R10 Billion Missing and Public Services in Crisis
The alleged financial mismanagement has had devastating, real-world consequences for local communities. Dr. Mothupi highlights that more than 10 crucial water projects were abandoned and left unfinished. Furthermore, the municipality has reportedly failed to account for over R10 billion in funds.
This massive financial leakage has directly resulted in chronic water shortages and raw sewage spilling into the streets, severely compromising the health, safety, and daily lives of residents. Despite the staggering loss of public funds, Dr. Mothupi notes that no officials have been subjected to consequence management for their roles in the crisis.
Active Police Investigations and Fraud Allegations
Law enforcement officials in the North West province have confirmed the registration of two fraud cases and one intimidation case related to municipal board committee matters.
A 47-year-old complainant alleges that the local municipality entered into formal agreements with external organizations to perform specific work. Despite receiving full payment, these service providers reportedly failed to execute their duties as of April 2026. Additionally, the complainant claims the municipality suffered financial losses exceeding R6 million due to non-performing contractors between August 2018 and December 2020.
Currently, no arrests have been made, and the local commercial crime investigation unit is actively probing the allegations.
The Municipality’s Defense and Prior Forensic Raids
In response to the escalating legal pressure, the municipality claims to be entirely unaware of any criminal cases targeting its officials. Addressing the staggering R10 billion figure, municipal representatives argued that the unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure is largely historical, tracing back to issues originating in the 2010–2011 financial year.
This latest legal escalation follows a major crackdown in October of last year, when specialized police units raided municipal offices. During the operation, authorities confiscated electronic devices from various officials and senior managers. The findings from that extensive forensic probe have yet to be released to the public.
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