Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has welcomed the Special Investigating Unit’s report on the R15.3 million tender for the provision of temporary accommodation structures at the Talana Hostel in Tzaneen, Limpopo.
Mathabatha referred the contract to the SIU for investigation in July last year.
The SIU found that the contract had been obtained fraudulently by Aventino Group. The company and its director, Constance Mohlala, alongside five officials from the Housing Development Agency, a subsidiary of the national Department of Human Settlement, are facing charges of alleged corruption relating to the tender.
Mathabatha’s Spokesperson, Willie Mosoma says the premier is pleased that the probe found no wrongdoing by officials from the provincial housing department.
“Premier Mathabatha is appealing to the Housing Development Agency and those who are pointed in the regularities about this whole matter to return all the monies that are due to the Limpopo provincial government. Premier Mathabatha is very clear to say the Department of Corporative Governance, Housing and Traditional Affairs in Limpopo is not involved. So, as the Limpopo provincial government, Premier Mathabatha is very clear to say all the monies that are due to Limpopo must be returned, so they can continue developing the people of Limpopo.”
The SIU has completed its investigations on the contract which erected 40 shacks at the hostel last year.
The investigations also revealed that out of 192 units that were initially budgeted for, only 40 units have thus far been erected at Talana.
Similar incomplete structures were also erected in Burgersfort.
The SIU says R2.5 million has thus far been paid to the contractor. The investigating unit will be instituting a civil claim at the Special Tribunal in order to have the contract set aside and recover funds paid to the company.
VIDEO: Uproar over Limpopo housing project in Talana outside Tzaneen:
