Contractor ‘hijacks’ school renovation money to upgrade church

All this while Sizanani Primary has 17 teachers sharing a single bathroom, use classrooms for meetings and school meals are prepared in a shipping container.

Schools in Dube, Soweto are suffering from a lack of facilities while the money meant for their renovations was allegedly spent on a church project. Picture: Neil McCartney

At least R940,000 meant for school renovations in Dube, Soweto in 2015 was instead used to renovate a local church, while local schools are crumbling with inadequate classes and ablution facilities. One of these schools, Sizanani Primary has 17 teachers sharing a single bathroom and using classrooms to hold meetings as there is no administration block, while school meals are prepared in a shipping container. Heads of departments, mid-level managers in need of space, have no offices and have to do their work in classrooms. A staff member who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal said:…

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At least R940,000 meant for school renovations in Dube, Soweto in 2015 was instead used to renovate a local church, while local schools are crumbling with inadequate classes and ablution facilities.

One of these schools, Sizanani Primary has 17 teachers sharing a single bathroom and using classrooms to hold meetings as there is no administration block, while school meals are prepared in a shipping container.

Heads of departments, mid-level managers in need of space, have no offices and have to do their work in classrooms.

A staff member who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal said: “Recently we had a colleague who could not come to work because she had diarrhoea. She was worried that it would be a problem when she needed to go to the bathroom. We have broken windows and doors. There are not enough classes, two Grade R classes are in mobile classrooms.”

On Tuesday, Solomon Mahlangu, 45, appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of fraud and theft involving fraudulent invoices worth about R940,000.

According to the police organised crime-busting unit, the Hawks, Chukululu Investments appointed Mahlangu as project manager from 2015 to 2016 to oversee local school renovation and construction projects as part of its corporate social investment programme.

Investigations revealed, however, that Mahlangu allegedly altered payment invoices, removed the school names and replaced them with that of a church, God’s Evangelic Ministries, where the renovations and construction services were instead rendered.

“Chukululu Investments processed approximately R940,000 to different suppliers for all renovations and construction services rendered at the church, instead of the local schools as intended,” Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said in a statement.

She said the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Johannesburg executed a warrant of arrest on Tuesday.

Mahlangu was charged and appeared in court the same day. He was released on R7000 bail and the case postponed to Monday for further investigation.

It is unclear what the accused’s relationship with the church is and whether he is a member. Police also couldn’t provide information in this regard.

siphom@citizen.co.za