Never-ending parliamentary village build ‘a cash cow’

Civic activists have called on authorities to investigate why the Mpumalanga government has not finished the construction of the province’s parliamentary village.

The project, begun in 2014 and should have been completed in 2017, was originally budgeted to cost R300 million, but has now sucked up more than R500 million.

Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson George Mthethwa said the government was “striving to finish the project as soon as we can.

Mpumalanga’s parliamentary village remains incomplete

“A lot of work has been done.”

But he added, that “one of the major factors of delays is interruption of projects by communities demanding employment and the construction mafias, who demand 30% from contractors.”

ALSO READ: Dam level warnings intensify in Mpumalanga

“These challenges put the lives of workers at risk, thereby obstructing the finalisation. In some instances, delays are caused by natural causes, such as rain.“

A source close to the matter said the project was being delayed intentionally because “there are government officials who rented out their houses to associates of their colleagues, so they fear the completion of the project will interrupt their businesses”.

Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the non-profit civil rights group, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, said it was another example of a combination of gross maladministration, stemming from a possible combination of poor leadership, lack of oversight and high probability of corruption.

Example of gross maladministration, lack of oversight and corruption

Duvenage said the only reason the project did not reach finality is that someone, or persons, was making a lot of money out of an ongoing and overpriced project.

“I don’t think for one minute that this is an innocent delay.

ALSO READ: Armed men rob Mbombela filling station, flee on foot

“If there is no corruption involved, then it is gross incompetence and lack of leadership oversight, in which case someone should be fired.

“But that won’t happen, because there is a high possibility of connected cadres and cronies eating from this healthy flow of money.

“Unfortunately for you and I and every [tax-paying] citizen, just as this has happened in many similar incidents in the past, we will bear the brunt of this loss and the likelihood of anyone being held accountable is extremely slim.”

‘This is outrageous’ – Godi

Former MP Themba Godi said: “This is outrageous.

“Budgets cannot be allocated yearly to the same project and yet there is no completion.

ALSO READ: Mpumalanga education opens housing allowance fraud case against two officials

“The departments submit annual procurement plans to the National Treasury. Surely there should be mechanisms to account for and confirm expenditure on previous projects?

“If money is spent but the projects are not complete, clearly the money has been misappropriated.

“The money has been stolen.

Money stolen

“A simple forensic check would reveal the corruption of the tender holder and the officials who made the payments.”

The DA in the province has called on the government to immediately act against the construction mafia, which has crippled the construction industry and delayed infrastructure projects.

NOW READ: David Mabuza’s funeral date confirmed as Mokonyane dismisses ANC criticism claims