A dramatic testimony has emerged before the inquiry led by the Madlanga Commission as the suspended head of human resources at the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality revealed details of an alleged syndicate targeting construction machinery across municipal projects. The official claimed that tractor-loader-backhoe (TLB) vehicles were being systematically stolen and transported to the Eastern Cape Province where they were allegedly sold through underground networks.
According to the testimony the syndicate operated with precision using insiders to monitor municipal asset movements before striking at construction sites during late-night hours. The suspended HR head alleged that several missing TLB machines were never formally reported in time due to internal administrative lapses and possible collusion within supply chain monitoring structures.
The commission heard that construction projects within the municipality have increasingly become vulnerable to equipment theft, causing project delays and financial losses for contractors and taxpayers. Witnesses also testified that security contractors sometimes failed to patrol remote construction zones where heavy machinery was stored overnight.
The HR official who is currently suspended pending internal disciplinary proceedings unrelated to the allegations insisted that he had previously raised red flags about poor asset tracking systems within municipal departments. He claimed that documentation controls were weak making it easier for syndicates to manipulate inventory records and remove high-value equipment without immediate detection.
Municipal legal representatives however urged caution stating that the allegations must still be corroborated with forensic investigations. They emphasized that the commission role is to gather evidence and not determine criminal liability.
The commission is expected to hear more witnesses in the coming weeks as investigators attempt to establish whether the syndicate operated across multiple municipalities. Authorities have not yet confirmed any arrests linked directly to the allegations.
For now the testimony has intensified scrutiny over asset management systems and security protocols within local government infrastructure projects.
