Abandoned community hall a hideout for criminals
“We are deeply concerned about the fruitless expenditure and the inflating of the costs from a mere R1,2 million to R2,7 million. This proves that there are no monitoring system and oversight mechanisms in place that could have detected wrongdoing.”
LEBOENG – A community hall which was supposed to benefit locals now serves a different purpose – it is a kraal for donkeys.
The Leboeng Community Hall was built by the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) in 2010 for locals to conduct meetings. When Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited the area, the windows were broken and doors had been stolen.
The R2,7 million hall was dilapidated and vandalised.
According to the DA in Tubatse, the GTM has failed to take action against officials responsible for paying more than R2,7 million for the hall.
“The DA will this week lay a complaint with the Auditor General against the municipality on allegations of inflating the prices of the construction of the hall. It was never opened officially as initially pronounced before the construction began,” Mr Robert Mahubedu, the DA’s local councillor said.
“We are deeply concerned about the fruitless expenditure and the inflating of the costs from a mere R1,2 million to R2,7 million. This proves that there are no monitoring system and oversight mechanisms in place that could have detected wrongdoing.”
Locals said the abandoned hall was now a hub for criminals and sometimes couples use it for their sexual activities.
“Its a useless hall, thieves have also stolen the fence. The community is still waiting for the municipality to officially open it,” said one resident, Mr Themba Makhina.
According to the spokesman for the DA, Mr America Ngwepe, the wasted taxpayers’ money could have been utilised to address the water crisis in the area or to accelerate other services.
“The DA wants the municipality to initiate plans on how to recoup the taxpayers’ money from the service provider and ensure that the hall is completed and opened officially for public usage,” Ngwepe said.
Spokesman for the municipality, Mr Thabiso Mokoena, said the municipality was planning to renovate the hall.
“We are planning to fence it and improve it for the better. It will be operational soon. All our community halls will be refurbished, including the one in Leboeng,” he said.
He also lambasted the community members who had vandalised it.
