More maWinnie tributes
THE public finance watchdog wants to investigate allegations that government funds meant for the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Museum at Brandfort in the Free State had been misappropriated.
Yesterday, Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) chairperson, Themba Godi, said his office was checking reports on communication, purportedly from the public protector, urging the committee and National Council of Province (NCOP) to look into the matter.
“As per our mandate we are always interested in any matter that involves the expenditure of public money, so we are aware of the matters around that house and money that may or not have been spent.
“If the matter is brought to our attention, we will be too happy to look at it,” Godi said.
He made the comments after it emerged that the Office of the Public Protector in the Free State recommended that Scopa and the NCOP’s education and recreation committee handle the matter.
This as questions surfaced about funds the national Arts and Culture Department allocated to the Free State to convert the house Madikizela-Mandela had been banished to by the apartheid government in 1977 into a museum.
The R3 million project has been marred by allegations of misappropriation after it experienced challenges, including non-payment of a contractor and poor project management.
This week, ANC secretary-general and former Free State premier Ace Magashule came under pressure public pressure because the alleged misappropriation of funds had happened under his watch.
Pressed for answers when visiting maWinnie’s home after the icon’s death, Magashule insisted no government money has been lost in the project.
The allegations, which surfaced last November, prompted the DA’s George Michalakis to write to the Public Protector’s Office, requesting an investigation into improper conduct in state administration.
However, the Public Protector’s Office said it was only a last resort when other mechanisms failed to resolve a complaint. This was in reference to the NCOP’s committee still waiting to receive answers from the department, the Lejweleputswa District Municipality and the Masilonyana Local Municipality when questions were asked at a meeting with stakeholders in February. The committee had also resolved to refer the matter to Scopa.
“It is our opinion that in the light of the intervention of Parliament, we should afford Parliament and specifically the NCOP to deal with the matter, and Scopa to deal with perceived allegations of corruption in the execution of the project,” the letter said.
Yesterday, Michalakis confirmed that the letter was authentic. He was adamant the Scopa investigation should get way. “It is a proper way to honour Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and make sure her legacy is preserved in a way that is free of corruption.”
‘Make sure her legacy is preserved in a way that is free of corruption’