Mkhwebane seeks probe into missing mining cash
THE public protector has ordered North West premier Supra Mahumapelo to approach the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe more than R255million in irregular payments related to the mining royalties missing from Bapo Ba Mogale’s D-Account.
Busisiwe Mkhwebane found that the largest amount‚ R115-million‚ was splurged on the construction of a palace for the clan’s late Chief Bob Mogale in Bapo village‚ near Brits‚ in North West.
Mkhwebane said there was gross misuse of funds by the North West Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs‚ with the amount exceeding the budgeted R29.8-million by R85-million, with no reasons advanced.
In the much-awaited report she released in Pretoria yesterday‚ Mkhwebane also detailed how:
ý R20.2-million was paid to Nkambule and Associates for the construction of trunk roads in Wonderkop and Greater Bapong areas;
ý More than R8.1-million and R4.1-million was paid to Abel Dlamini and Junius Moloto respectively during their tenures as administrators‚ and Moloto paid himself R719 534 from the account; R3.7-million was paid to Madisa and Associates CC for marketing and communication services‚ with no proof of such services rendered;
R5.1-million was paid to Mosiamise Business Consulting for the review of mining activities and consultants, with no proof of actual work done;
R36.3-million was paid to Matlapa Construction Consulting despite no value for money;
More than R4-million was paid to Dire Accounting Practise CC, but it failed to deliver on the implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning System;
More than R8-million was paid to Thaba Consulting, who were project managers for a poorly constructed multipurpose centre‚ and a further R13-million was paid to Queens Building Construction CC who were also project managers for the same project. Another R5.2-million was paid to Thaba Consulting Engineers as consultants;
More than R15-million was paid to Kgatelopele Consulting Engineers for the construction of the Segwaelane Community Centre which was found to be poorly constructed.
Mkhwebane said the SIU should determine which funds could be recovered.