The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crimes unit in the Free State has made a breakthrough in the investigations regarding many millions of rands that are unaccounted for while actually meant for construction of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Brandfort House Museum in Majwemasweu.
The elite crime-fighting unit has confirmed arresting five suspects early this morning today. More arrests are imminent with in-depth investigations ongoing. The suspects between the ages of 41 and 81 include top government officials. They are expected to appear in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court tomorrow – Wednesday 21 September.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, says charges against them range from fraud, theft, contravention of public finance management act, contravention of municipal finance management act. He says the suspects were arrested in Bloemfontein, Welkom, Thaba Nchu and Pretoria. He confirmed that those arrested include two former officials that worked for the department – head of the department, director of the supply chain of the department and two former municipal managers of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality in Welkom.
“The arrests are in connection with money that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture had allocated for construction of the museum project in Brandfort. The project was coordinated by the department and the Lejweleputswa District Municipality. says Singo. He said findings of the investigations the money was allegedly misused and the service providers were appointed without following the proper procurement processes. “As a result of these fraudulent activities the department of Sports, Arts and Culture suffered losses more than R700 000,” says Singo. The funds were meant for the construction of the museum to honour the late ANC Women’s League stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Singo says the funds were allocated during the period of January 2008 until December 2010. He says probing into money “going missing” the period in question was completed last year. “This has culminated with the arrests of the suspects and more arrests are imminent,” he says.
Numerous reports emerged that the funds vanished with no one held accountable. In 2018, an audit report commissioned by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) found that approximately R600 000 had been paid to two contractors, which apparently “could not be traced.” Only restoration work was done at house 802 that Madikizela-Mandela had lived in with her youngest daughter, Zinzi from 1977 to 1985 after banished by the apartheid regime. Various sources stated that funds were allocated in 2005 for transformation of the house in Brandfort into a museum. Currently the museum is an empty shell.
