De Lille urges auditor-general to investigate SA-Zim border fence procurement process

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille requested the auditor-general of South Africa to audit the Beitbridge Border Fence procurement process on Tuesday.

“I have written to the auditor-general of South Africa, Kimi Makwetu, to request that his office conduct an urgent independent audit into the emergency procurement and implementation process of the 40km Beitbridge border fence project between South Africa and Zimbabwe,” De Lille in a statement.

De Lille said as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, the department of defence and veterans, whose mandate it was to secure South Africa’s borders, then requested that her department as a matter of urgency to repair and replace a 40km section of the Beitbridge Border Post Fence, which was identified as the hotspot.

“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I am asking the auditor-general to immediately commence with an external audit of the process followed by the department of public works and infrastructure in terms of the 40km Beitbridge Border Fence Project,” she said.

Last week, it was reported that the border it was vandalised and poles were allegedly stolen.

(Compiled by Molefe Seeletsa)

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