Parents and community leaders say Seshupo Primary School repairs involved only painting and re-roofing 13 classrooms using existing materials.
The North West department of education has spent more than R16m on renovations,but sources familiar with the construction say there is no evidence of this expenditure. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
There are questions over the R16.2 million spent on repairs to Seshupo Primary School in Tshunyane village outside Mahikeng in the North West, with concerns about the scope, quality and value of work done.
In September 2025, the provincial department of education appointed a management consortium for the project, according to an appointment letter signed by the department’s superintendent-general, Lengane Bogatsu.
Work is worth less than R1.5m, but the contract valued at R16.2m
The contract was valued at R16.2 million, inclusive of a 10% management fee and value-added tax (VAT). However, it is not clear that the work seen at the school matches the expenditure.
Parents, staff members, community leaders and people associated with the project claim painting and the re-roofing of 13 classrooms was done largely using existing materials. But there was little new building work.
“My estimate is that the work delivered does not amount to more than R1.5 million, excluding labour,” said the project’s community liaison officer Plakie Buchere. “Not a single inspection of the scope and quality of work delivered was conducted.”
The school, which has about 600 pupils, was built in the 1960s and comprises three blocks – one with five classrooms and the other two with four classrooms each, an administration block and an inclusive education facility serving pupils with special needs.
A school hall turned into two classrooms is severely damaged and was excluded from the renovations.
In July 2025, parents concerned about the condition of the school stopped sending their children to classes, fearful for their safety.
Parents stopped sending children to school over safety concerns
The appointment letter, seen by The Citizen, contains a schedule covering four classroom blocks. The contract allocates R2.41 million to a four-classroom block, R2.96 million to a five-classroom block and R2.05 million to a three-classroom block. It also provides R497 311 for an administration block and R1.16 million for an existing Grade R classroom block.
The appointment schedule identifies four classroom blocks comprising 17 classrooms, in addition to the administration and Grade R facilities. But information obtained by The Citizen shows covering four classroom blocks.
The contract allocates R2.41 million to a four-classroom block, R2.96 million to a five-classroom block and R2.05 million to a three-classroom block. It also provides R497 311 for an administration block and R1.16 million for an existing Grade R classroom block.
The appointment schedule identifies four classroom blocks comprising 17 classrooms, in addition to the administration and Grade R facilities. But information obtained by The Citizen shows three main classroom blocks were renovated, two with four classrooms and one with five, totalling 13 classrooms.
The construction component of the appointment included R1.09 million for preliminaries and R528 046 in provisional sums, bringing the construction-related subtotal to R10.70 million.
Other costs included R22 529 for a community liaison officer, R128 739 for a social facilitator, R21 456 for a project steering committee and R1.52 million in professional fees. A further R1.24 million management fee, representing 10% of the contract value, and R517 367 in contingencies were added.
Renovations began on 8 August 2025 and ended on 31 May 2026
The document records a subtotal of R14.1 million excluding VAT, with R2.1 million in VAT, bringing the appointment value to R16.2 million. Renovations began on 8 August 2025 and ended on 31 May, 2026, but the key question now is what was actually delivered.
“The school was built in the 1960s. Parts of the building were damaged by a storm in 2019. But even before that the community raised concerns about the condition of the buildings,” said community leader and former school governing body chair Mpho Gaediwe.
She said instead of building a new structure, the department issued a tender for renovations.
“All that has been done is to paint the classrooms, install window panes, doors, electrical fittings and roof repairs for more than R16 million,” Gaediwe said.
Among the concerns raised is that damaged roofs were repaired using the existing material. Walls were painted after cracks were filled and some of the cracks are already reappearing.
There are also allegations that new vinyl flooring was installed over existing worn vinyl and that new door handles have already become loose or fallen off.
Walls have no foundation
More serious concerns have been raised about two classrooms in the five-classroom block, which allegedly lack proper foundations. One worker described the wall as wobbling as they worked.
“The walls of the two classrooms have no foundation, but the contractor filled the gaps with mortar and painted them. This is a disaster waiting to happen. What happened here is a grand heist,” Gaediwe said.
Elias Malindi, the department spokesperson, did not respond to questions.
