NOBODY DISCIPLINED, NOTHING RECOVERED IN EVATON HOUSING SCANDAL

No official has been disciplined and not a single cent recovered from the Bahlodi Construction Consortium which was paid R58 million three years ago but didn't build a single house in Evaton.

This is revealed in a written reply to my questions by Gauteng Housing MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro.

According to Lekgoro "No official has been identified and as such at this stage no disciplinary action has been taken against any official within the Department."

Former premier Mbhazima Shilowa blacklisted this company and declared that legal steps would be taken against it, but very little was achieved in this regard by former Housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane.

According to Lekgoro, it is expected that forensic investigations will be completed by 31 August this year and legal action taken against Bahlodi a month later.

This is perilously close to the three year prescription period which lapses at the end of November 2009.

I suspect that this matter has been deliberately drawn out because Bahlodi has high-level political friends. Its CEO Aziz Kara is a controversial figure who was banned from soccer activities for 10 years  because of a bribery scandal.

It reflects poorly on Premier Nomvula Mokonyane who preaches anti-corruption but did very little to nail offenders when she was housing MEC.

How can it be that not a single housing official has been disciplined for allowing Bahlodi to do virtually nothing it was paid to do in the Evaton Urban Renewal Project?

Were they all fast asleep or did they deliberately collude with this company that has so far gotten away with millions of rand that should have benefited the poor?

Steps against this company have been inexcusably slow. I am not convinced that the department will actually get its act together to sue Baholdi in November.

The premier should ensure that legal proceedings are speeded up to recover money and get rid of officials who failed to monitor the Evaton project.

This contract was first awarded in 2004. We need to know who awarded the contract to Bahlodi and why money was paid out for three years despite non-delivery.

This scandal hangs like a cloud around Premier Mokonyane. She needs to ensure that all questions are answered, otherwise it is difficult to believe that she is indeed committed to fighting corruption and holding officials accountable.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, Democratic AllianceGauteng Corruption Spokesman, July 8 2009

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