The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in the North West says it has made progress with regards to a case involving the provision of 20 animal drawn carts to communities around Mahikeng.
A complaint was recently lodged by the Democratic Alliance after it criticised the provincial government for allowing its residents to remain primitive.
The party then called for an SIU probe in what it says was the overpricing of the donkey carts.
This after the Department of Community Safety and Transport spent R780 000 on 20 donkey carts to donate to residents of Dibono and Manawana Villages near Mahikeng.
The intervention has raised questions about why the department did not invest in critical infrastructure and public transport.
According to the SIU, they are awaiting the recommendations of their assessment committee.
Godfrey Dieta, investigator for the SIU in the province, says some progress has already been made.
“This matter, the donkey cart matter, has been registered. The reference number has been issued and then for now we will be waiting for the case assessment committee to sit and deliberate on the matter and then raise whatever issue that they want to raise. If they want additional information, I will go back to the DA and say this is the information that is actually needed and please provide it. As soon as it is provided, we will upload it to the system and the CAC will deliberate on it. It’s entirely up to them after deliberating on it whether to refer the matter for proclamation or not.”
In the report below, SIU progress in the provision of donkey carts to residents in rural Mahikeng:
