BOSA Leader Maimane and Public Protector Gcaleka agree to request criminal investigation by Hawks into Mayibuye “swamp” school

10 September 2024

Build One South Africa (BOSA) Leader, Mmusi Maimane, and Public Protector, Adv Kholeka Gcaleka, held an in-person meeting to discuss the PP’s recently released report on the infamous Mayibuye “swamp” school following a complaint by Mr Maimane in September 2020.

Built on a wetland, the school remains unsafe for human habitation as sewerage flows through its grounds. It has to date cost almost R100 million without a single day of teaching occurring in the building.

After a 45-month long investigation, the PP report found maladministration and impropriety by government in the construction of the school as politically connected contractors allegedly profited from ongoing delays and missteps.

The report finds that the Gauteng government “did not comply with the applicable legal prescripts and procedures regulating procurement or supply chain management processes” and this resulted in “overspending, costs overruns and undue delays in completing the project”.

While we are generally pleased with the findings of the report, the deadline for the remedial action was midnight on Thursday 29 August. This date has long come and passed.

Therefore, we are of the view that concrete consequence management must follow, specifically recovering of the funds spent.

In this light, common law offences under Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) include theft as well as fraud. The facts at hand in the PPs report point to prima facie acts of fraud.

We therefore request that a proper and formal criminal investigation be conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and have today written to the Directorate to request such.

We look forward to a positive response from the DPCI within the next seven days.

Issued by Roger Solomons, BOSA Acting Spokesperson, 10 September 2024