R18m awarded to the Limpopo Youth Orchestra in 2014 is missing

POLOKWANE – Eight years after more than R18m was awarded to the Limpopo Youth Orchestra (LYO) by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), the project to build a theatre and classrooms in the city is still only a dream and where the money is, is now being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

In April 2014, Polokwane Observer reported that the project was handed over to the contractors during a sod-turning ceremony that was attended by, among others, Prof Alfred Nevhutanda, the chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission and Dewet Motalane Monakedi, the then director of the orchestra.

At the time, the architects showed the new building’s plans and explained how they would go about the construction.

The plan was to start construction in June of that year and the project, including all furnishings and electrical work, would cost between R18m and R19m.

Simoné Aronje-Adetoye, the managing director and founder of the LYO was quoted to have said that 2014 was a special year for the orchestra.

“The orchestra turns 10 years old this year and now we will have this great concert hall. We want to thank the National Lotteries Commission for their continued support and for believing in us and our work and if it was not for the Lotto, we would not have been where we are now,” Aronje-Adetoye said at the time.

Besides teaching music to rural disadvantaged children, the orchestra also helps to feed their families and the new theatre will be named the Motalane Monakedi Hall after Monakedi, she further remarked.

Nevhuthanda said the National Lotteries Commission at the time was proud to be associated with the Limpopo Youth Orchestra “as they are always on the tip of our tongue when we speak of successfully funded organisations or projects”.

The head of stakeholder management, marketing and communications of the lotteries commission, Ndivhuho Mafela confirmed that a grant was paid to the LYO.

“The project is a subject of various enquiries including the Special Investigating Unit and we therefore are unable to make any further comments at this stage,” Mafela told Polokwane Observer on Friday.

Addressing Parliament last month, SIU head Andy Mothibi said that theft and money-laundering at the NLC amounted to R1,4b.

An old age home, a drug rehabilitation centre and sports facilities were some of the projects started and of which many were never completed.

“That is because of a well-oiled syndicate of colluding former board members, officials and non-profit organisations who siphoned off grants for self-enrichment and the investigation has identified the methods through which these corrupt individuals used to siphon money,” Mothibi reportedly said.

Monakedi confirmed this week that he had resigned as a director of the LYO years ago and is not aware of the whereabouts of Aronje-Adetoye or the current activities of the orchestra.

Attempts to locate Aronje-Adetoye at the numbers provided on the apparently inactive website of the LYO were fruitless and a visit to the premises advertised on the website as the place of business, revealed that the house was sold to a new owner on an auction two years ago.

The architect company has since been dissolved.