A103-page forensic report points to tender manipulation, unlawful approvals and wasted millions within the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
A classified forensic report into the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain Heritage Site recommends disciplinary and criminal action over alleged tender manipulation and wasted public funds. Picture: iStock
Political parties and advocacy groups have called on the authorities to take action against senior officials implicated in a R380 million ghost tender linked to the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain Heritage Site in Mpumalanga.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) conducted a classified forensic investigation report and handed it to the provincial government and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in May last year.
Forensic report exposes alleged tender manipulation
The report, seen by The Citizen, has recommended relevant stakeholders take action and also report the matter to the police.
The Citizen understands no action has been taken against the involved officials since then.
According to the 103-page forensic report, during the renovation of the world heritage sites, there was tender manipulation, unlawful approvals and wasted millions within MTPA.
The report stated the manipulated tenders included the upgrading of the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains Geotrail, compilation of the integrated management plan, development of the visitor information centre, and installation of directional signage for the world heritage site.
Government’s commitment to accountability questioned
Themba Godi, leader of the African People’s Convention (APC) and former parliamentary standing committee on public accounts chair, said it was shocking as it transpired immediately after the weekend manifesto launch where the president spoke emphatically about fighting graft and taking action.
“There is too much talk and no action. The ANC is incapable of doing what is right. It is a painful conclusion one has come to. You commission a report, it costs money to commission an investigation,” said Godi.
He added APC has no faith and hope that Mpumalanga premier Mandla Ndlovu has any interest and ability to act against the corrupt, as they were all corrupt.
“It might be interesting to check where this money went. You may find it went back to the higher-ups within government. That’s why they were unable to act.
“If these were just rogue officials, they would have been paraded and used as examples, but the fact they are not acting is because they know something about this,” said Godi.
Demand for disciplinary and criminal action
DA member of the province’s legislature Trudie Grove-Morgan has called on Ndlovu to explain why no action has been taken on the findings of the forensic report and to ensure disciplinary and criminal processes proceed without further delay.
“Public funds cannot be lost without consequences. There must be consequences for the financial mismanagement and irregularities that took place within MTPA,” said Grove-Morgan.
Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, said: “If a forensic investigation commissioned by a public entity has identified serious procurement irregularities, possible financial misconduct and recommended disciplinary or criminal action, it is unacceptable for those recommendations to simply gather dust.”
Duvenage added SA does not suffer from a shortage of forensic reports, but suffers from a shortage of consequence management.
“Too often, significant amounts of public money are spent on investigating alleged wrongdoing, only for the findings to disappear into administrative processes with little or no accountability,” he said.
He added the provincial government and MTPA should explain what action has been taken on each of the report’s recommendations – whether losses are being recovered, and whether evidence of possible criminal conduct has been properly referred to law-enforcement authorities.
“If officials have done nothing wrong, the processes should clear them, but where wrongdoing is established, disciplinary action, recovery of public funds and criminal prosecution must follow,” added Duvenage.
MTPA yet to act on implicated officials
Grove-Morgan, said in a report last week that acting CEO of MTPA Lemmy Mdluli and board chair Fish Mahlalela reported to the portfolio committee on economic development and tourism acknowledging that they have not yet taken disciplinary measures against officials who may be implicated.
The Mpumalanga provincial government and MTPA did not comment on the matter.
