The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced its intention to file a complaint with the Public Protector, seeking a probe into alleged corruption related to the upkeep of the state’s ministerial mansions. According to the opposition party, information obtained through parliamentary questions suggests that the government, led by the African National Congress, has spent £93 million on maintaining properties in Pretoria and Cape Town, which are currently occupied by cabinet members.
Leon Schreiber, the DA representative in the parliamentary public service and administration portfolio committee, stated that certain expenses raise suspicions of significant tender corruption. Notably, one case involves an expenditure of £1.4 million on a new kitchen, while another case reveals a cost of £240,000 for fumigating cockroaches.
In a troubling development, the University of South Africa’s council has witnessed the resignation of two members following a damning assessor’s report on the institution’s affairs. Belinda Mapongwana, chair of the council’s social and ethics committee, abruptly resigned on Friday, 19 May 2023, without providing any reason. It is believed that her departure is linked to the council’s failure to convene a special meeting as scheduled.
Subsequently, Sedzani Mudau, chair of the audit and risk committee, conveyed her resignation to the council in a letter. She cited her decision as a response to a resolution made during a council meeting on Thursday, which requested an extension of 21 working days from Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to respond to the report. The minister had initially granted a 14-day response window. The independent assessor, Prof. Themba Mosia, produced a comprehensive 308-page report, revealing that the university had spent over £285,000 on curtains for the official residence of Vice-Chancellor Puleng LenkaBula. Surprisingly, an external company later quoted a significantly lower price of £20,630 for the same curtains.