The contractor for the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality offices, Mwelase Thobs Construction & Projects, had financial challenges and delayed the project.

Source: Supplied

This is the foundation of the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality's offices in Mpumalanga, which was started in 2022. A whooping R103 million has been spent on this foundation.

Source: Supplied

 Sizwe sama Yende

Mpumalanga’s Bushbuckridge municipality has allegedly thrown R103 million towards the construction of its offices, but the building has been at a foundation phase since 2022.

According to the 2023/24 annual performance report this whole amount has already been spent. The reports indicates that the project was stalled by delays because the contractor, Mwelase Thobs Construction & Projects, experienced financial troubles.

Originally, the municipality budgeted R80 million for the project. In the financial year in question, the budget was adjusted by R23 million – ballooning it to R103 million.

The report indicates that the municipality resorted to spend more money to bail out the struggling contractor. As reason for the variance, the report reads: “The contractor faced financial challenges and the project was put on hold due to a community strike during the quarter.” 

The municipality’s report is however ambitious in its projection that it aims to complete the project in the fourth quarter for the 2024/25 financial year.

Afrika Mayibuye has now lodged a complaint with Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka, indicating that irregularities heightened when former municipal manager, Cynthis Nkuna, left for a job in the Mpumalanga provincial government.

Municipal spokesperson, Fhumulani Thovhakale, declined to comment due to the Public Protector’s complaint.

“We request to wait for the Public Protector’s determination/finding before commenting.”

Afrika Mayibuye Ehlanzeni secretary, Mooketso Khumalo, said in the complaint that the project experienced significant delays and discrepancies in budget allocation in 2022 November after Nkuna’s departure.

“On the 18^th of June 2023, the executive mayor Mrs Cecilia Sylvia Nxumalo resigned as the political head of Bushbuckridge local municipality (currently being a Member of Parliament) and the current executive mayor, Mrs Motlanatso Lydia Moroane, took over office during the month of July 2023,” Khumalo wrote. 

“Both the predecessor and the successor authorised and approved the annual performance reports of the municipality by signing off since 2022 to date,” she added.

Khumalo’s complaint indicate that the municipality reported 50% progress on the project in the year 2022/2023.

“In 2023/2024 financial year of the annual report, R23million was allocated and [the municipality] reported project progress of 58.42% with improvement measures, anticipating completion in quarter 4 (July 2025) under the incumbent, Mr Jasper Ngobeni, as an accounting officer, while the project is still at foundation phase with no visible construction,” Khumalo said.