ANC and EFF members in Limpopo almost come to blows over missing documents

A Limpopo State of the Province Address (Sopa) debate in Lebowakgomo this week nearly descended into a physical fight between members of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after the red berets publicly accused Premier Chupu Stan Mathabatha of doing nothing while his comrades “continued to loot state resources”. 

The fierce debate, which followed Mathabatha’s Sopa, turned into a shouting match after the Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL), a parastatal of the department of Public Works, revealed to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) that documents relating to R1.1 billion in irregular expenditure had disappeared from the agency’s offices in Polokwane. 

The revelations by the EFF were confirmed by Scopa provincial chair Rodgers Monama, who said: “In light of this, we asked the agency to go back to the drawing board and put its house in order.”

“We have ordered them to find the documents and present them to the committee in their next appearance and to present a turnaround strategy that would ensure there was value for money in their transactions and keep records of their financial spending,” said Monama.

Speaking against corruption under his administration during his Sopa, Mathabatha promised he was winning the war against corruption in Limpopo. 

“When we are called upon to act against corruption, maladministration and mismanagement, we do so without fear or favour. We do so regardless of a person’s social standing or status in government or in the society,” said Mathabatha to thunderous applause. 

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The premier further touched on the released Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report on personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders. The report, which was made public after it was handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa in January, has set tongues wagging in Limpopo, with the public asking Mathabatha to implement the recommendations.

“We commend the SIU for the work done in exposing corruption, maladministration and mismanagement of public resources. I also wish to commend whistle-blowers who sounded the alarm and provided information to the SIU investigators. 

“In this regard, we will work with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to support all envisaged prosecutions of wrongdoers. We can further promise that no one will be shielded from accountability,” said Mathabatha. 

But this did not go down well with the official opposition, the EFF. Through the leader of the provincial legislature, Jossey Buthane, the party seized the opportunity to attack the ANC under Mathabatha’s leadership, branding the party incapable of fighting corruption in Limpopo. 

“Now what you are about to hear is a conspiracy theory of the century. How is it possible that the [RAL] lost documents? This is unheard of and clearly it is the strategy to conceal information on shenanigans happening in RAL. But let me tell you, you can steal or burn or even hide the documents but you will not hide the truth forever,” said Buthane during the debate. 

For the past few years, the RAL has been plagued by financial woes. 

“The agency incurred R734 million irregular expenditure in the 2020-21 financial year and had a further R4 billion irregular expenditure awaiting condonement. The entity also underspent its budget by R473 million,” the Democratic Alliance in Limpopo said in a statement.  

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