A sudden office flood that destroyed crucial payment files has disrupted a major audit in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, raising renewed concerns about possible sabotage.
The incident occurred overnight last Tuesday, but municipal officials only discovered the damage the following day. Mayor Babalwa Lobishe says she remains uncertain about what caused the flood, but admits the timing is “highly suspicious,” given that the Auditor-General is currently reviewing the metro’s finances.
This is not the first audit to be derailed under unusual circumstances. A previous financial review was hampered by a fire, prompting further scrutiny from the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.
Committee chairpersons and city officials have expressed concern over the pattern of incidents, suggesting they may not be purely accidental.
Despite the setback, Lobishe says she does not expect the audit to be severely impacted, as roughly half the work had already been completed before the flood.
The municipality has launched an internal probe and opened a case with police as investigations into the cause of the flooding continue.