Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga has revealed a scheme created by the previous Mayor’s Office to sign off R138 million upgrades to Tshwane City Hall.
The project was awarded to contractors at a total cost of R138 million – R88 million more than was required. A sum of R90 million was fully paid after approval by the then mayor’s office, said new mayor Solly Msimanga.
Two senior Directors who served in the office of former Mayor Ramokgopa will undergo internal disciplinary hearings next month.
“In this project, it appears that officials were complicit in breaking the law, inflating prices and allowing the contractor to fleece the City of Tshwane while destroying parts of the City Hall building.” – Solly Msimanga, Mayor of Tshwane
Msimanga gave a breakdown of what the R90 million worth of upgrades had been spent on:
- R4000 per metre for wallpaper
- Bathroom tiles inflated by 400% of the normal price
- R18 million to a valuable musical organ
- Damages to the historic aspects of the building
The DA mayor has started disciplinary proceedings against two senior directors from the previous, ANC mayor’s office.
“The Tshwane City Hall upgrade project was tainted by corruption and fraud at the very highest levels and was forced through and managed directly by the previous mayor’s office,” said Msimanga. “The people of Tshwane were robbed of R90 million in corruption and I am determined to see justice done.”
These pending disciplinary hearings follow the laying of criminal charges by Msimanga last month against other senior “masterminds of corruption and maladministration” and bring to five the number of people facing either criminal or administrative charges.
“Where the DA governs, we never forget who voted for us and we never forget who we serve.”
“We are not perfect, and there are many things we’re working hard to be better at. But we know what we were hired to do, and we spend every single cent of public money on the people not on vanity projects.”
“As a responsible government, we cannot approve this project when the current chamber could still be used effectively. I also believe that the municipality has far more productive ways to spend tax payer’s money” says Executive Mayor Lynn Pannall.
For the next 5 years, the DA are committed to being ruthless in ending buddy-politics and ensuring honest government where they govern.
“Everyone will have a fair chance under a DA government, and there will be a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, increased service delivery and job creation. South Africans deserve better and have voted for better.”
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