SOPA • 2018

After months of investigation, Ziwaphi sends an enquiry to Letshela Jonas, the spokesperson for provincial treasury to explain a discrepancy that Ziwaphi picked up from the treasury documents:

In 2015, the expenditure to date for the Cultural Hub was R85 805 000, but in 2016 the expenditure to date was a mere R21 900 000. We asked what had happened to the R72 905 000. Jonas went to ground following that enquiry.

Both projects disappeared from Mabuza’s last State of the Province Address before he was appointed as the country’s deputy president on 27 February 2018.

Before his appointment, he appointed Refilwe Mtsweni as acting premier. Mtsweni appointed Thandi Shongwe as the MEC for culture, sport and recreation.

When MEC for provincial treasury, Skhumbuzo Kholwane, presented the provincial budget, for the first time, the budget of the two projects was less than R10 million 

Shongwe, like all her predecessors, didn’t mention the two projects in her policy and budget speech.

HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CENTRE BUDGET: R2 224 000

CULTURAL HUB BUDGET: R6 578 000

Written by: Ziwaphi on 23rd Feb 2018.