MAFARAFARA – It seems like money that was supposed to go towards the construction of classrooms at the Itsuseng Primary School, disappeared into thin air.
According to reliable sources, a R4 million project was launched to refurbish old and construct new classrooms at the school, but the money is nowhere to be found. The project has been on hold since January, as only the bricks had been delivered to the site.
Apparently the company that was awarded the tender to construct the new classes, delivered bricks to the school and never showed up again.
Rumours are that the contractor was not paid and therefore couldn’t continue with the construction.
Bogwasha circuit admin officer for infrastructure, Mr Justice Ntshwane said that he knew the bricks had been delivered, but not why construction never started.
Meanwhile circuit manager Mr Setadi Makotanyane said they never received any feedback from the Limpopo Department of Education after sending enquiries regarding the situation.
“The department did not tell us anything about the whereabouts of the money, all it said to us was that it was experiencing financial problems,” said Makotanyane.
Meanwhile local residents who thought they were going to escape poverty as they believed the contractor was going to recruit locally, are still waiting. School governing board member, Ms Stephelina Maphakge said that locals often asked her about the progress of the project as they were eager to work.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited Itsuseng and discovered that there were not enough classrooms to accommodate all the learners.
One of the teachers, Mr Petrus Thobejane said that the current conditions were bad and the school had been built by community members many years ago. Spokesman for the Limpopo Department of Education, Mr Paena Galane, said he did not know about the problems at Itsuseng.
“I will speak to my superiors and the members of department of public works, and give feedback on the matter,” Galane said.
