The unfinished mayoral house in Bergsig Ext 9, Heidelberg, on which nearly R1.9m in public funds was spent, was sold at auction on Wednesday for R360 000 to a local resident who has requested to remain anonymous.

The property, built on two municipality owned stands and originally intended for former Lesedi mayor Lerato Maloka, has remained incomplete since construction was abandoned in 2001.

Over the years, the neglected structure fell victim to theft and vandalism, with materials stripped from the building, leaving it severely damaged and widely viewed by residents as a symbol of municipal waste and poor oversight.

The municipality previously attempted to sell the property last year for R850 000, but the deal fell through after the municipality failed to meet a prospective buyer’s requirement that the two erven be consolidated into a single stand.

According to Lesedi Local Municipality, the decision to place the property on auction was taken through a formal council resolution.

Democratic Alliance Lesedi mayoral candidate Mokete Motsamai criticised the municipality, calling for accountability over what he described as wasteful expenditure and continued governance failures.

“It is unacceptable that millions of rand belonging to taxpayers were spent on a project that was never completed, while residents continue to suffer because of poor service delivery.

“This abandoned property has become a painful reminder of poor governance and failed leadership. Communities deserve transparency and accountability from those entrusted with public resources,” he said.

Local property law specialist Bouwe Wiersma also weighed in on the matter, sharply criticising the municipality’s handling of the project and the eventual sale price.

“What did you expect because bad Lesedi administration fed by bad municipal council’s decision went the full 360 for all to witness. It is even below the defunct MVR 2024-2029 assessment of R700k. Who is going to accept accountability, or is it yet another wasteful expense?” he said.

The sale has once again reignited criticism from residents over the long-standing abandoned project, which many say reflects years of poor planning, mismanagement and lack of accountability in the municipality.

Lesedi Local Municipality spokesperson, Katleho Seaga, said in a statement that the municipality can confirm that the auction process is being managed in accordance with the applicable auction terms and conditions through the appointed auctioneers, Auction24.

It further stated that, as part of the process, the bid received is still subject to further administrative and valuation considerations, including but not limited to the reserve price determined through an independent property valuation process.

The auctioneers will engage directly with the relevant bidder regarding the next steps in line with the auction rules and procedures.

At this stage, the process has not yet been finalised, and further engagements with the bidder will be underway.

*This article has been amended to include the Lesedi Local Municipality’s comment received after publication.