Dear Editor
The DA in the Mogalakwena Municipality will request the Public Protector to urgently investigate deeply disturbing allegations of large-scale corruption in Mogalakwena Municipality implicating the Mayor, the Municipal Manager, the MEC for CoGTA in Limpopo, the Premier, senior municipal officials, and politically connected individuals.
We will also:
- Write to the Minister of CoGTA, Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, requesting a full probe into Mogalakwena’s governance and finances;
- Call for immediate lifestyle audits of all implicated individuals;
- Submit Parliamentary questions on the stalled Hawks investigation and request that the relevant portfolio committees exercise proper oversight to ensure accountability and justice; and
- Request that the conduct of the attorney involved be reviewed.
The allegations of corruption include:
- Inflated legal costs: Popela Maake Attorneys allegedly invoiced R1.75 million for a matter that cost R13 000, with further invoices totalling over R66 million. The firm has allegedly benefited from the municipality by more than R300 million over the past few years. Attempts to probe this matter professionally have reportedly been suppressed due to the attorney’s influence within the Law Society.
- Tender fraud: PMU Manager, Mr Rasemate Nkele, allegedly owns a company, MM STAR (Pty) Ltd, which secured R78 million in tenders to maintain and paint dams. Invoices circulating on social media show multiple questionable payments of exactly R5 million, some processed on the same day. Mr Nkele is further alleged to have close ties to Deputy
- Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr David Mahlobo, raising concerns about political protection.
- Dubious asset rental contract: A massive asset rental agreement for vehicles and equipment allegedly saw payments made five months before delivery, apparently to fund the contractor’s purchases. After the Auditor-General flagged the matter, the Municipality reportedly moved to purchase all the vehicles and equipment directly from the contractor.
- Non-functional surveillance system: R45 million was allegedly spent on cameras around Mokopane that do not work.
These allegations, if confirmed, point to systemic corruption, abuse of power, and collusion, while service delivery collapses. They do not appear to be isolated acts of corruption – rather, they appear at face value to constitute a pattern of racketeering as defined in the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA). As such, it is incumbent upon the Hawks to investigate.
Despite a case (number 52/08/2024) having been lodged with the Hawks, little progress has been made, with claims that a senior Hawks official is blocking the investigation. If these claims are proven true, we will have no hesitation in approaching IPID.
Assassination threats have allegedly been made to silence whistle-blowers. The DA will monitor this very carefully and ensure that if any lives are lost in this process, no stone will be left unturned in uncovering the truth.
The DA will not allow this looting to be swept under the carpet. The people of Mogalakwena deserve accountable government, not captured institutions.
Regards
C.F. Beyers Smit, MP
DA Constituency Head: Mogalakwena Local Municipality