R3m later, Brandfort museum still a dream
AS IT stands‚ house No 802 with its dilapidated walls‚ peeling paint and broken windows reflects the horrible times experienced by struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at Brandfort in the Free State.
In an interview with television host Felicia Mabuza-Suttle several years ago‚ Madikizela-Mandela said her years of banishment at Brandfort were among the worst she endured during the struggle.
“There were so many [bad moments]. Those were very difficult times. Perhaps a person like myself would single out the banishment to Brandfort.
“The separation from my children and what the security branch did almost every time my children were coming back from boarding school‚” Madikizela-Mandela said‚ listing her moments of turmoil.
Today, the house remains a shell despite a government promise many years ago to invest millions and convert it into a museum.
In February‚ a poorly attended meeting between the select committee on recreation and education‚ the Department of Arts and Culture‚ Lejweleputswa District Municipality and the Masilonyana Local Municipality agreed that a multimillionrand refurbishment project would start on April 1 and be completed by October 2019.
But the project has been marred by allegations of corruption.
“R3-million had been made available for the implementation of the project. A number of challenges had arisen‚ including non-payment of the contractor and poor project management‚ and work had not progressed‚” minutes of the meeting said.
“However‚ the director-general stated that the project was back on track and that the Department of Arts and Culture was taking responsibility for the renovations.”
Former Free State premier Ace Magashule was among mourners who visited her Soweto home. Speaking outside‚ he quashed claims of any skulduggery around the establishment of the museum.
“The family clearly knows and we know that there hasn’t been any money [lost]. That museum in Brandfort will definitely happen. There is no government money which has been lost anywhere.”