Not only has the Masilonyana local municipality in the Free State allowed the buildings of the Winburg sports complex to be stripped and looted by vandals, but they have also apparently spent R8, 5-million on construction of another unused stadium nearby, and want more money to complete it. SUPPLIED
An allegedly shady company, operating from what appears to be a phony address scored big in a Free State municipality’s multi-million Rand stadium construction mess, pocketing R 6, 4-million by the time they were fired for delivering shoddy work.
The Citizen has previously reported on how the Masilonyana Local Municipality in the Lejweleputswa District of the province allowed the Winburg sports complex and an R8.5 million nearby stadium to be stripped and looted.
Skhokho Civils and Construction, appointed to implement the stadium project in November 2012, had listed as its business address an office in the provincial government headquarters, the Lebohang Building in Bloemfontein.
The company, a close corporation, was established in November 2005, and appears to have been deregistered in August last year for failing to submit annual financial returns as legally required.
Skhokho charged the municipality R 7 646 342.57 to build the Winburg stadium, with a total of R 6 490 614.01 paid by the time the contract was terminated and the stadium abandoned in 2016.
Construction of the facility began in January 2013 and the plan was to complete the project by end of August 2017, but all that remains of the project is a stripped and vandalised shell, that has become a monument of waste.
The municipality’s director of infrastructure Lungile Mukoteli said lack of security at the site since 2016 led to incessant vandalism and the replacement of stripped components had serious financial implications.
She revealed that a consultant had taken over the construction project through a sub-contractor, but was also subsequently terminated due to poor performance.
Mukoteli revealed that, Nhlengani Engineers, was appointed to develop the design of construction of sports centre, including management, quality control and supervision of the project in Winburg.
She said by the time their contract was terminated, this second company had pocketed at least R1 176 101.41.
Attempts to contact both Nhlengani Engineers and Skhokho Civils and Construction have been unsuccessful, as the companies’ registered contact details no longer appear to be functional.
In May 2016 sub-contractor Ndivuwani Construction was appointed on session agreement to complete some of the work, including a soccer field and running track, plumbing, refurbishment of ablution facilities, change rooms and a guard house. The contractor successfully completed the work and was paid R 857 256.52 of the R 1,3-million remaining budget for the project.
“After the sub-contractor handed over site to the municipality all the components were vandalised again,” Mukoteli lamented.
She said competitive tender bidding processes were followed in appointing both contractors.
The Municipal Public Account Committee (MPAC) will investigate allegations of corruption.
“The main purpose of the MPAC is to exercise oversight over the executive functionaries of council and to ensure good governance in the municipality. This will include oversight over municipal entities. This Committee will investigate the projects that were not completed and this project is part of those projects and give recommendations which will be implemented,” Mukoteli said.
The municipality has since requested R9-million the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to fix the mess, which Mukoteli said would be implemented through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant.
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