TIMELINE: Construction of the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court
The construction of the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela is set to be investigated by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
MBOMBELA – President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly signed the proclamation giving the state’s SIU the go-ahead to probe the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Independent Development Trust (IDT) for maladministration. It was gazetted last Friday.
The SIU was established by the president and conducts investigations at his request, and reports to him on the outcomes.
Transactions to be investigated include the construction and acquisition of land for the Mpumalanga High Court, as well as the construction of the Limpopo High Court, the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court, the Booysens Magistrate’s Court, the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court and the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court.
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The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela started operations in May. Lowvelder has reported extensively how construction took three years longer than expected and at a hugely inflated cost of approximately R1,1 billion – almost double the original estimate.
Former minister of justice and correctional services, Adv Michael Masutha told Lowvelder earlier this year that he largely attributed the escalated costs to the additional time needed to complete the project.
READ FULL STORY: Taxpayers coughed up R 1.1 billion for new Mpumalanga High Court
