The DA in Mpumalanga suspects that the Mkhondo Boarding School near Piet Retief is used as another Cash Cow for ANC Comrades just like they did with the International Fresh Produce Market, the Cultural Hub, the High-Altitude Training Centre, and the Parliamentary Village.
Construction of the Mkhondo Boarding School started in 2018, to be completed within 18-months at an estimated cost of R200 million. Fast forward to November 2023, the project is not even half complete, but more than R525 million has already been spent. Just last week, the Finance Department approved an extra R140 million for the completion of the project. These figures literally mean that by the end of the 2023/2024 financial year, R665 million would have been spent on the construction of Mkhondo Boarding School, a project that should have cost R200 million.
A bigger concern however is that the main contractor who has now abandoned the project, and subcontractors are complaining about not being paid, or sometimes paid half for invoices submitted. The question is: where is the money going if contractors are not paid?
The DA was also informed that subcontractors were told not to report for duty as there is no money to pay them. Just recently, another subcontractor had to come on sight to remove the fencing around the school because he had not been paid for it. They also have not yet started the construction of the water and sewerage systems as they are still waiting for water licenses from KZN. The road to the school is also on hold until Mondi agrees to the servitude.
According to the PWRT most recent report, the school would be completed in October 2023, however this will not be possible, and therefore, the DA will once again write to both MEC of Education, Bonakele Majuba, and PWRT MEC, Mandla Ndlovu, to find out when will this school be operational? We also call on both MECs to do an oversight, take an honest look at the actual progress taking place with the Mkhondo Boarding School project.