Over R100 million allocated for renovations to two North West airports has effectively ‘gone missing’, according to City Press.
The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport management was meant to use the money to renovate the Dick Montshioa and Pilanesberg International airports in Mahikeng and Rustenberg, respectively.
City Press says R40 million was allocated to the refurbishment and renovation projects in the 2020/21 financial year, and R44 million was allocated in 2021/22.
From 2019 the total funds allocated exceeded R100 million.
However, the portfolio committee on community safety and transport management found that no work has been done — and nobody can account for where the funds are.
The committee has opened a case of corruption at the Mahikeng Police Station and has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the department.
Corruption in government continues to run rife throughout South Africa.
Cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Thembi Nkadimeng recently revealed that R17.5 million had been spent since 1 January 2019 on investigating municipalities’ maladministration, fraud, and corruption.
The Western Cape has spent the most on these investigations with R7.25 million.
Gauteng and Mpumalanga have contributed about R5 million to the total.
Data from the North-West and Kwa-Zulu Natal wasn’t available, so how much was spent on these investigations is unclear.
All investigations in the Free State and Limpopo were conducted internally, so no fees were paid to a service provider.