Following the announcement that the Caledonian Stadium redevelopment will soon have public participation meetings, calls have been made to account for the monies previously spent.

In October, the Tshwane Metro Council recommended that public participatory meetings be held regarding the leasing of the property to Rainprop to assess if the renovations would be feasible.

The proposed mixed-use development comprising sports, recreation, commercial, and residential spaces, to create a multi-purpose hub, is set to revitalise the stagnant development, though calls for the money spent on previous redevelopment plans to be accounted for continue to grow.

FF Plus Councillor (FF Plus) Carien Nefdt said that the party is not opposed to the stadium’s development, and in fact, supports it, though the party also calls for answers regarding failed past projects.

“R67-million was allocated in 2017 for the upgrading of the stadium, of which [over R19-million] has already been spent without any improvements being made. The contractor that was appointed progressed only as far as leaving the stadium in a shambles.

“The contract was stopped due to irregularities, but the [over R19-million] had already been paid to the contractor without any value being added to the project.

“The wasted expenditure will be exposed by the FF Plus member serving on the Municipal Accounts Public Committee, something the current administration claims is already under investigation, although there is no evidence of this,” Nefdt said.

Nefdt said the party calls for a transparent tender process that must be followed, and a full investigation and ensuring that the necessary steps are taken to hold the responsible persons or parties accountable for recovering the wasted expenditure.

She believes that this will prevent further misuse of public funds.

The proposed short-term lease agreement with the private entity would bring the municipality R150 000 a month in rent for the next three years at a 7% interest rate starting from July 2026.

Since the high-value capital asset is valued at over R14-million, it necessitates public participation before leasing.

In March last year, it was announced that the multimillion rand projects to construct both Refilwe and Caledonian stadiums would undergo forensic probes, following allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds at the facilities.

Previously speaking to Rekord, Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the investigations are currently ongoing and that completion of them rests on the outcome of its engagements with private investors.

The Section 79 committee for Community and Social Development stated that it will monitor the project to ensure it aligns with the city’s plans.

A date for public participatory meetings is yet to be announced by the city. Notices will be published in local newspapers in accordance with Section 21A of the Municipal Systems Act.

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