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Select Committee on Public Accounts chairperson, Desmond Moela, promises to investigate while trade unions – PSA and Sadtu – also call on MEC Cathy Dlamini to commission a forensic investigation.

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Sizwe sama Yende

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The Mpumalanga education department’s denial on splurging an astronomical R3.2 million to renovate a tiny guardhouse has assisted to shed more light on how funds were looted.

The People’s Eye reported that an internal memorandum dated December 12 2023 indicated that supply chain officials appointed three companies at a combined price of R3.2 million to do the job – which was apparently too exorbitant for such a small structure.

However, Mpumalanga education spokesperson Jasper Zwane denied that more than one company was appointed for the facelift of various offices and schools including the Ehlanzeni District offices in KaNyamazane outside Mbombela where the rarely used guard house is situated.

Despite his denial, Zwane still did not indicate how much was spent to renovate the guardhouse, which can accommodate two security guards. The work done on the guardhouse included changing its roof and re-painting only, but the department paid close to a R1 million or just above.

Based on Zwane’s response that district directors have authority to appoint companies from the central data base if the price is less that R1million, The People’s Eye understands that the renovation has cost the department R993 519.50.

However, according to the internal memorandum three companies were appointed. Mhloti Trading submitted a quotation of R993 519.50, Mangethe Holdings (R1.042 million) and Pelkins Group (R1.2 million).

RELATED: A R3m guardhouse, and the ballooning of renovation budget from R15m to R42m by Mpumalanga education officials

To fence the district’s offices, the memorandum said, Gabeshe Trading was appointed for R767 015.50, Balinye Trading (R913 869.35) and Indumane Trading (R956 535.50).

“District directors have an authority to approve minor renovations/in-house projects below a million rands only. In this case, and in accordance with the supply chain management prescripts, it is required that a three quotation system be used or sourced from the Supply Chain Management Central Data Base,” he said.

The amount of R993 519.50 to change the roof and re-paint the guardhouse is still obscenely exorbitant, and costs way more than building a new one.

Zwane did not tell the truth when he said that the amount included fencing. The memorandum is clear that three companies quoted separately for the fencing job.

In order to show how unscrupulous the officials were in accepting the quotations,  The People’s Eye has  established what R993 519.50 can do in the construction industry.

·      It can build five RDP houses at the current rate of R185 000 each;

·      It can buy a two- or three-bedroom house in Karino outside Mbombela, and leave change of about R200 000 or more. According to houses for sale listed by Seef Properties, a three bedroom 61 square metres freehold house with one bathroom costs R850 000 and a two bedroom house goes for R695 000.

·      It can replace 91 pit toilets at a cost of R35 000 per unit.

A three-bedroom house at Stonehenge suburb in Mbombela cost about R1.2 million. The department’s guardhouse renovation is worth just about R200 000 short of buying a house in Stonehenge.

This means that the department has spent money nine or ten times more that the value of constructing a  new guardhouse on the new roof and repainting.

Insiders within the department have also raised alarm at the cost of the fence. They claimed that nothing much was done other that closing gaps and repainting the palisades.

The People’s Eye based its first story on the internal memorandum drafted by infrastructure and information systems deputy director, Zanele Mabena and approved by various officials, including Ehlanzeni district head, Dr Jabulani Ndlovu, clearly indicating that the listed companies were appointed.

It read: “Ehlanzeni has been allocated R15 million from education infrastructure grant to implement maintenance projects. The qualifying service providers have been appointed in line with the Central Supplier Data Base (CSD) system as well as the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).” 

Zwane has not indicated if Mabena erred in the memorandum to give an impression that all listed companies were appointed for the 11 maintenance projects in Ehlanzeni district.

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga Select Committee on Public Accounts chairperson, Desmond Moela, has announced that the committee would investigate the guardhouse scandal.

 The Public Servants Association (PSA) and Sadtu have called on Mpumalanga education MEC, Cathy Dlamini, to launch an investigation.

“The article brings to attention that there is gross misconduct by officials and further alleged that state coffers have been looted by unscrupulous service providers colluding with corrupt officials. As PSA we believe that this is a tip of the iceberg and we encourage and request your office to investigate directorates to quash all and any corruption,” the PSA said in a statement.

Sadtu said: “Due to the conflicting versions, we as Sadtu demand that the MEC immediately institute a forensic investigation into the department’s finanaces. The province cannot afford to waste a single cent when we have a backlog of not just classrooms but the dignity of our teachers and scholars will not be restored as long as they are still subjected to pit toilets in 2024.”