R1m board game waste
Boy free of 15kg tumour Children’s Day gifts gather dust at police HQ
ALMOST R1 million worth of board games, commissioned by police and meant to be distributed free on Children’s Day in 2008, have been collecting dust in a basement at police headquarters in Pretoria for four years.
The Snakes and Ladders-type game, Dlal’ Ufunde (Play and Learn), was allegedly procured without proper supply chain processes, and payments to the supplier allegedly breached the Public Finance Management Act.
It is unclear how many thousands of copies of the game were produced. The game was designed to teach children about the police and their rank structures.
“Those in charge said the games could not be distributed because the rank structure in the police had changed and it was no longer valid,” said a source who has seen the game.
About two years after it was made, the national commissioner at the time, Bheki Cele, ordered police to revert to military ranks.
“It starts with a trainee field student and moves on to various ranks such as a constable, sergeant, superintendent and senior superintendent. The player who attains the top spot of national commissioner, emerges the winner.”
Special Investigations Unit (SIU) spokesman, Boy Ndala, confirmed they had been requested to investigate claims of irregularities.
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around the country as part of Children’s Day celebrations in 2008. But, it never happened. It was dumped in cardboard boxes in a basement of Southern Life building.
“But, last week, it was moved to the first floor of Kudu Arcade at police headquarters,” the source added.
Southern Life building and Kudu Arcade are adjoining buildings that house police headquarters.
“They were moved after questions were raised at a police management meeting about the fate of the games. Management wanted to know why the games had not been distributed.”