Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya Slams DA's Cilliers Brink Over R270,000 'Overpayment' Claims

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya

Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya has defended herself against claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that she unlawfully benefited from city funds. According to Moya, the payment of R268,975.51 was part of a benchmarking-related salary adjustment made in 2019 during her tenure as chief of staff in then-mayor Steven Mokgalapa's office.

Dr Moya explained that she was one of 78 officials who received backdated lump sums across affected salary bands. "The payments were authorised by the group head of human capital management pending the outcome of a citywide benchmarking exercise, which was finalised in July 2020," she said.

The DA has accused Moya of being "overpaid in salaries and payments." However, Dr Moya pointed out that the DA knew about the matter and failed to act on it when they were in power. "Your recent interest in this matter is surprising," she said. "As you are aware, the matter dates back to July 2019 and has been known within the city."

Dr Moya has offered to repay the amount, saying she has nothing to hide and is committed to transparency. "I remain confident in the integrity of my conduct, and I have voluntarily authorised a monthly repayment to the city of Tshwane," she said.

The mayor also questioned why the issue remained unresolved for so long, suggesting that it may be a case of political opportunism. "I note, however, that preliminary findings confirm that there is no evidence of wrongdoing by officials who received these payments in good faith," she added.

Dr Moya's response highlights the complexities surrounding the payment and the DA's motivations for raising the issue now. As the matter continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how it will impact Dr Moya's leadership and the city's governance.