ActionSA welcomes the findings and remedial actions announced by the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, following her investigation into the gross maladministration and corruption in the construction of the Lesseyton Sportsfield in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.
This report confirms what ActionSA and communities across the Eastern Cape have long known; that millions were looted through irregular procurement processes, fake project reporting, and a deliberate collapse of oversight, all at the expense of the very people the municipality is meant to serve.
The Public Protector has found that:
- A R22.7 million tender was irregularly awarded, exceeding the approved budget by over R4 million without council approval.
- The winning contractor, Thalami Civils, was not the top-scoring bidder, thus undermining fair and transparent procurement.
- Massive contract variations, illegal subcontracting, and non-existent environmental compliance led to project delays, cost overruns, and ultimately no value for money.
- Senior officials now working in other municipalities knowingly approved shoddy work and were central to the mismanagement.
- Suspicious financial transactions from contractor accounts have been referred to the Hawks for further investigation.
This is not merely maladministration, but an indictment on the culture of impunity that has taken root in ANC-governed municipalities across the Eastern Cape.
The people of Enoch Mgijima deserve better. They were promised a sportsfield. Instead, they got dry grass, half-finished facilities, and a mountain of excuses. Youth development, local sport, and rural infrastructure continue to be sacrificed for greed.
ActionSA calls on the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Zolile Williams, to immediately implement the remedial actions outlined in the report, including consequence management against implicated officials now employed at Chris Hani, Amathole, and Beaufort West municipalities.
We further call on the Premier of the Eastern Cape to exercise his constitutional authority and hold the MEC accountable for his previous delays in tabling the forensic report, which are delays that enabled further cover-ups and denied justice to residents.
The Public Protector’s report must not become another shelved document. We expect prosecutions, dismissals, and financial recoveries to follow. Anything less would render the entire process a betrayal of public trust.
ActionSA will continue to monitor the implementation of these findings and stand with communities who demand accountability, transparency, and ethical governance.
ActionSA Welcomes Public Protector’s Findings on Lesseyton Sportsfield Scandal, Demands Swift Accountability
ActionSA welcomes the findings and remedial actions announced by the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, following her investigation into the gross maladministration and corruption in the construction of the Lesseyton Sportsfield in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.
This report confirms what ActionSA and communities across the Eastern Cape have long known; that millions were looted through irregular procurement processes, fake project reporting, and a deliberate collapse of oversight, all at the expense of the very people the municipality is meant to serve.
The Public Protector has found that:
This is not merely maladministration, but an indictment on the culture of impunity that has taken root in ANC-governed municipalities across the Eastern Cape.
The people of Enoch Mgijima deserve better. They were promised a sportsfield. Instead, they got dry grass, half-finished facilities, and a mountain of excuses. Youth development, local sport, and rural infrastructure continue to be sacrificed for greed.
ActionSA calls on the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Zolile Williams, to immediately implement the remedial actions outlined in the report, including consequence management against implicated officials now employed at Chris Hani, Amathole, and Beaufort West municipalities.
We further call on the Premier of the Eastern Cape to exercise his constitutional authority and hold the MEC accountable for his previous delays in tabling the forensic report, which are delays that enabled further cover-ups and denied justice to residents.
The Public Protector’s report must not become another shelved document. We expect prosecutions, dismissals, and financial recoveries to follow. Anything less would render the entire process a betrayal of public trust.
ActionSA will continue to monitor the implementation of these findings and stand with communities who demand accountability, transparency, and ethical governance.