Graft claims emerge ahead of South Africa's local elections

Allegations of corruption have emerged ahead of South Africa’s local government elections, signalling just how dirty the politics could become.

The alleged looting of public funds comes as political parties entered the home stretch of their campaigns ahead of the November 1 polls.

One of the outrageous cases to surface in recent days is the $1 million spent on building a scant sports facility by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape.

Matching that is breakfast amounting to $345,000 hosted by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Another scandal was a $1 million government tender to construct 192 housing units at the Talana Hostel in Limpopo but saw only 40 tin shelters built by an ANC-led Greater Tzaneen Municipality.

The three cases set social media ablaze, with the two political parties enduring the wrath of an angry public that slammed what it feels is daylight looting of public funds.

The scandals might spell doom especially for ANC, which is already facing an outraged electorate following the alleged misappropriation of millions of Covid-19 relief funds not long ago, as well as trillions recorded to have been lost in the irregular awarding of government tenders.

When unveiling the Eastern Cape stadium, the ANC called it a “state-of-the-art” sports facility, sparking an uproar in South Africa.

Two small steel grandstands, a grey grass pitch and an athletics track marked by white paint are the main features of the rugby and soccer field.

There is also a small building that is said to house the dressing rooms.

The $1million used to build this sports facility is seen as a far cry to justify the skeleton Lesseyton sports facility near Komani in the Eastern Cape under the Enoch Mgijimi local municipality.

Further angering the public was the pomp and fanfare with which municipality officials opened the stadium.

Leading the outcry was Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who called the facility a “thing”.

“R15 million [$1 million] was paid to build this thing and they are proud of it. The people of South Africa must vote these people out of power because they have no shame. None whatsoever. R15 million for this?”

Earlier in October, #R15MILLION was trending on Twitter for almost a week as the ANC was battered on social media.

This scandal left the ruling party with a lot to do to clean up its battered image as the election campaigning has reached fever pitch.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said it was investigating the construction of the stadium using bloated figures.

No arrests have been made as the Hawks national spokesperson, Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo, said the investigation is “still in its infancy stages”.

She said the “matter will be referred to the Director for Public Prosecutions for a decision to prosecute” after obtaining all statements and necessary documents.

“The Hawks would like to ensure all and sundry that the matter is receiving the necessary attention,” said Mrs Mbambo.

The issue has also been discussed in parliament.

One South Africa leader, Mmusi Maimane, feels this is the mother of all scandals by ANC-led municipalities while describing the stadium as a “chicken shed”.

“The most scandalous of the lot in many ways, which epitomises what this government has come to be, is when they built what looks like a chicken shed and spent R15 million of our money. I wonder where that money could have gone,” Mr Maimane said.

“We cannot afford a government that loots every project, that builds a chicken hut and calls it a sports stadium for R15 million. A government that loots from children, from elders and even loots from a funeral. We cannot afford an endless Tsotsi Game.”

He added: “Public funds are not a laughing matter. People go to bed hungry, people have had businesses shut down during the pandemic. People are being evicted. Every cent spent must be accounted for. Every cent spent must meet all ethical standards. Whether it’s a stadium or a gig.”

While the ANC has been feeling the heat from the Eastern Cape stadium scandal, it found something to deflect attention and try to spruce up its image - by condemning the $345,000 breakfast that also sent social media users berserk.

The meals served at the breakfast remain a secret but food outlets charge between $4 and $7 for basic meals.

Provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela slammed the Zululand Local Municipality, led by the IFP, for hosting the extravagant breakfast.

It is something that has the potential to see IFP lose its seats in Zululand.

Ntombela called the Public Protector and auditor-general to investigate the Zululand Municipality, whose mayor Thulasizwe Buthelezi was already under fire for a series of other alleged corruption scandals.

While the ANC could have tried to pin IFP in KZN, it had already stoked fire in Limpopo, where it built shacks from a $1 million government tender.

The 40 zinc shelters have also been slammed for having structural and non-structural defects that pose health and safety hazards.

The project is said to have failed to follow its original design specifications.

In its report, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) noted: “The service provider, Aventino Group, made misrepresentations and forged documents of industry experts with no links to the company to influence the direction of the bid.”

The SIU recommended that the service provider be barred from ever doing business with the government.

While Aventino director Constance Mohlala was arrested, the issue soiled the ANC’s image, with the elections looming.