A North West municipality that gave a bursary meant for the children of poor families to the daughter of one of its councillors is to be investigated by the public protector.

The investigation, announced on Friday, will look into allegations of fraud, maladministration and nepotism within the Bojanala Platinum district municipality.

The public protector will also investigate the awarding of tenders for the supply of household rubbish bins and for a R3.8-million cattle feedlot construction project.

Residents of Mmakau village, near Ga-Rankuwa, northwest of Pretoria, submitted a memorandum of complaints, including claims of nepotism, to the public protector last week.

They are angry that a Madibeng councillor's daughter benefited from a council bursary to complete her postgraduate studies.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's spokesman, Kgalalelo Masibi, said Madonsela had agreed to investigate all the allegations.

Bojanala Platinum spokesman Archie Babeile confirmed that the daughter of the councillor for ward 17 in Madibeng "is a beneficiary''.

"She is among 17 students who are beneficiaries of the mayoral bursary scheme. A committee has been formed to investigate all the allegations.

"The beneficiaries were approved by a selection committee comprised of councillors and municipal officials.

"The 17 recipients were selected for various reasons, including financial need and academic excellence.

"The council maintains that, if a councillor's child from within the district of Bojanala is selected on the basis of need and academic excellence, that child will not be deprived of an opportunity to further his education.''

The councillor's daughter who benefited from the mayoral bursary declined to comment.