Hawks focus on premier’s office

R585M PROJECT: ACT ALLEGEDLY CONTRAVENED

Only State Information Technology Agency can do roll-out – official.

The office of the premier in Limpopo is under investigation over allegations of corruption involving more than R580 million.

The Hawks confirmed the unit was investigating allegations of corruption at the office of the premier.

“The case was opened by a senior official working at the office in March this year. We will, however, not dwell much on the details of the case as every little [bit of] information is an important tool of our investigation,” said Hawks Limpopo spokesman Captain Matimba Maluleke yesterday.

The investigation relates to a multimillion-rand broadband project managed by Limpopo Connexion, a subsidiary of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda).

Leda spokesman Patrick Monkoe said the project began in 2017 on a budget of R585 million. “We have already spent R500 million for the construction of the data information centre, the call centre and for the establishment of 29 site centres throughout the province, including in far-flung villages,” he said.

The broadband telecommunication network infrastructure project was announced during premier Stanley Mathabatha’s State of the Province Address in 2017. Mathabatha was adamant the project would be the backbone of the knowledge economy.

He said phase one would be the roll-out of infrastructure in Polokwane, while the second phase was to cover 80% of the provincial populace.

But the project was marred by allegations of financial mismanagement, maladministration, embezzlement and political interference. A senior official in Mathabatha’s office claimed the project contravened the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) Act 88 of 1998.

The official said the Act only empowered Sita to roll out broadband in national and provincial departments. The official, whose name is known to The Citizen, argued that neither Mathabatha, Leda nor the provincial government director-general were eligible to roll out broadband without Sita. In light of this, he said, the expenditure incurred on the project was irregular and illegal.

Four days later he was suspended. He is facing three counts of misconduct, including insubordination, gross insubordination and bringing the office of the premier into disrepute.

Yesterday Mathabatha’s spokesman Willy Mosoma confirmed the investigation, but emphasised it was not the premier that was under scrutiny. He added: “The appointment of the company rolling out the project had the blessings of the Limpopo executive council... There is nothing to hide.”