Phophi Ramathuba Denies Corruption Allegations in Mogalakwena Municipality

Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba has dismissed allegations of corruption at the Mogalakwena local municipality, labelling them as baseless and part of a smear campaign.

The claims first appeared on Facebook, where a now-deactivated account under the name Tshepo Ledwaba alleged that municipal manager Morris Montengo Maluleka had been instructed by Ramathuba and co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu to approve multimillion-rand transactions linked to their companies and to hire their relatives. The post also claimed the municipal manager’s life was in danger as a result of his refusal to comply.

Although the account was taken down, the same allegations re-emerged on a Facebook page titled Mogalakwena Corruption and on a parody X account, accompanied by images of invoices.

Ramathuba’s office rejected the allegations, stressing that the premier does not interfere in municipal operations. Her spokesperson explained that municipal councils and their managers operate independently and are not subject to the premier’s authority, except under specific legal circumstances.

The office also pointed out that some of the transactions mentioned in the posts allegedly date back to 2023, well before Ramathuba assumed office as premier, raising further questions about the credibility of the claims.

The premier has since referred the matter to law enforcement agencies for investigation.

The Mogalakwena municipality has also distanced itself from the allegations, describing the social media accounts as fake and malicious.

Municipal spokesperson Malesela Selokela emphasised that the municipal manager has no official social media presence and that the information shared online was “fabricated, misleading and devoid of any truth.”

Selokela further suggested that the campaign may be the work of individuals intent on undermining the municipal manager, who he said has brought stability to the institution through decisive leadership.

The municipality has opened a criminal case and expressed confidence that the matter will be resolved through formal investigation.

Both the premier’s office and the municipality maintain that the allegations are an attempt to mislead the public and destabilise local governance rather than a genuine whistleblowing effort.