Six up for R400m fraud

SIX senior officials at the North West public works and roads department will be charged with misconduct after a forensic report revealed they fraudulently awarded tenders worth more than R400-million.

Public works and roads department head Pakiso Mothupi said the six officials were suspended and more staff members linked to alleged corrupt activity might also be charged after investigations are concluded.

Mothupi said the tenders were awarded to different construction companies for road repairs across the province.

He said the contents of the report could not be revealed before the officials were formally charged.

North West is notorious for its bad roads and potholes.

The suspended officials could not be reached for comment this week.

Mothupi said the suspensions came after the conclusion of a governmentcommissioned forensic investigation by Open Waters which began in 2014.

He said his department had also put contingency measures in place to ensure that the suspensions do not affect service delivery.

Last month, the North West legislature’s portfolio committee on public works, roads, transport and community safety resolved to call MEC Madoda Sambatha and the department’s technical team to discuss its findings on inspections on road P25/1 from Tlapeng to Manthe near Taung in the Dr Ruth Mogomotsi Mompati district. During the oversight visit, the committee discovered that the P25/1 was full of potholes.

Committee chair Wendy Matsemela said oversight of the repair projects was crucial.

“Lives have been lost on this road; these problems have to be taken seriously,” she said.

Last year, the North West finance department took over the management of financial affairs of the public works and roads department after legal action was taken against the department because of its debts.

“Lives have been lost on this road; these problems have to be taken seriously