Mopani tenders probed by Investigations Unit
Provincial supporters of former African Union Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, came to blows over lucrative government tenders to bankroll their cause before the party's national elective conference in December.
LIMPOPO – So serious is the disagreement between the two factions that President Jacob Zuma signed off a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of malpractice in the supply chain management of the Mopani District Municipality.
The SIU investigates allegations of fraud and corruption in the supply chain management of the municipality.
These investigations come after the municipality appointed 13 service providers early this year for bulk water related projects to the tune of R300 million. According to allegations, some of these companies awarded the tenders failed to meet the supply chain management requirements.
Mopani Mayor, Nkakareng Rakgoale, confirmed the investigation last week.
“I can confirm the SIU has commenced with the investigations in the municipality but I will not dwell more on their presence because I still have to meet with them on an official level to discuss their presence at the institution,” he said.
The ANC will hold its elective conference in December at a date and venue still to be decided. Its leaders are elected through branches nominating their preferred candidates, who are then endorsed by the party’s regions and provinces.
These elected leaders are then affirmed at elective conferences.
Mopani together with Sekhukhune, Vhembe, and Waterberg are supposed to hold their elective conferences before winter. Leaders elected at the regions are entrusted by branches to steer the outcome of the December conference.
According to reports, Ramaphosa has overwhelming support in his ancestral region of Vhembe, Peter Mokaba, Sekhukhune, and Waterberg while Dlamini-Zuma is reported to only have the support of Mopani.
The regional contest in Mopani is between Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality Mayor, Pule Shai, and the sitting Regional Chairperson, Seaparo Sekoati.
With only a few weeks to go, nominations at branch level has become so fierce that in in some unprecedented developments, police were deployed to uphold the peace with one man sustaining serious injuries at one of these altercations.
ANC Provincial Spokesperson, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said the province had just completed the verification process for some regions, Mopani included.
“We are currently completing the dispute process for Waterberg. All regions, except for Peter Mokaba, should have gone to their elective conferences before the end of the winter season,” she said.
