The Port Elizabeth High Court has ordered the former Executive Director of Human Settlements Lindile Petuna to pay back R11.3 million after the municipality overpaid for a Seaview property in 2015 on his recommendation.
The Metro says in a statement that he also withheld critical information from the Executive Mayor and the Municipal Council regarding the market value of the land, which was actually R3million, and the findings of a feasibility study obtained two years earlier by his own department.
Petuna also made history when he was ordered to pay more than R550 000 in October last year for misleading the municipality regarding rezoning applications.
In the latest case, Petuna stated that he cannot be held accountable as he is not a current municipal official and that he acted on reports by the Department of Human Settlements.
He left the municipality after a settlement agreement with the institution in November 2015.
However, Acting Judge Lisa Ntsepe dismissed Petuna’s defence – and Acting City Manager Mandla George said the judgement in favour of the municipality was a major step in the right direction to remind senior officials of their legal responsibility.
