DA’s Kingsol Chabalala said that the actual figure is just over R700 million, not R470 million.Chabalala said the project initiated by MEC Paul Mashatile was to uplift and improve the lives of Evaton residents by developing roads, increasing sanitation, and delivering houses.

He said that according to the Auditor General’s report – Performance audit of the effectiveness of the urban renewal programmes – the project cost for the ERP stood at R708 474 966.

“This was to create an environment conducive for the local economy to grow,” he added.

The A-G reported that the progress on the ERP was “not substantial” and the projects completed were “small and less impactful.” The Auditor General’s latest report on the Performance audit of the effectiveness of the urban renewal programmes in Gauteng reveals a loss of R40 million in contracts gone missing on the Evaton Renewal Project (ERP).

No physical verification of work completed amounting to the R40 million could be audited. The A-G apparently noted that completion dates for projects could not be determined due to a lack of information.

Chabalala said that the A-G revealed that the contractors working on the ERP did not have the appropriate minimum grading assigned by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).

Despite the grading, contractors should not have been considered to bid nor be awarded the tenders for this project.

Evaton residents are still making use of pit-toilets and houses have not been built as planned. Roads and storm water drainage are poorly built and maintained.

Chabalala said the DA will report Mashatile to the Legislature Integrity Commissioner to have his utterances in misleading the Legislature and the public investigated in terms of Section 280 (2) (c) of the Standing Rules of the GPL.

“Evaton remains one of Gauteng’s most neglected townships. There are funds that have been poured into this project but with no development.”

Meanwhile the DA has apparently written to the new Gauteng Health MEC, Gwen Ramokgopa, requesting an urgent investigation into allegations of ghost workers and political interference regarding the appointment of ANC members in the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) at Johan Heyns Clinic in Vanderbijlpark.

The DA says that as the current EPWP contracts at the clinic will come to an end at the close of this financial year, they have it on good authority that ANC members have been earmarked to take up all vacant EPWP positions at the Johan Heyns Clinic.

It is said that workers who resigned from the project are still receiving their salaries and are paying the project coordinator a cut of their money.

“Sources have indicated that the ANC regional office in Sedibeng has already set up lists of workers for the new six-month contracts within the EPWP. It is unacceptable that the ANC is buying support through promising jobs to only their members. Non-ANC members have no hope in getting a contract through the EPWP as jobs are being secured for the ANC members only,” Chabalala said.

It is alleged that four current EPWP workers and the project coordinator are at the helm of these corrupt activities.

“MEC Ramokgopa must not turn a blind eye to this alleged corruption. In our letter to the MEC, I have requested that she suspend the project coordinator until the investigation is completed.

The newly appointed MEC has the opportunity to show that she will take a zero tolerance stance on corruption and is seen to be working with the community to get to the bottom of this matter.”

ANC Sedibeng could not be reached at the time of going to print.