Buffalo City Metro officials responsible for the dismal failure of the R30m Mdantsane swimming pool upgrades may land in the deep end with the Hawks now hot on their trail.
Once the pride of the sprawling township, the NU 2 swimming pool — dubbed the “money pool” by opposition councillors because of the vast sums sunk in it — has been closed for more than three decades.
With limited recreational facilities in the community, the pool complex provided a space where families could enjoy hot summer days and swimming programmes could be hosted to encourage water safety.
But the millions spent on the project every year have not translated into tangible results.
Over the years, corruption and fraud allegations have surfaced, forcing the metro council to sanction several internal and external probes, none of which managed to establish what had happened to the more than R30m allocated to the project over the years.
On Friday morning, Hawks investigators swooped on BCM offices in East London to confiscate documents related to the project, which they believe might assist in their investigation into how the public funds were spent.
The Dispatch team was on the scene when investigators raided BCM’s supply chain unit in Chiselhurst just after 9am on Friday.
Some metro staff cheered as investigators left, more than two hours later, with piles of documents..
With blue lights on and sirens blaring, the Hawks team also conducted a search-and-seizure operation at the metro’s administrative headquarters at the Trust Centre building in the CBD later in the day.
The raids were confirmed by Hawks provincial spokesperson Warrant-Officer Ndimphiwe Mhlakuvana, who said the team was investigating allegations of fraud and corruption surrounding the upgrades at the pool complex.
The investigation gathered pace a month after the EFF in the city council reported a corruption complaint against metro officials in relation to the project.
The complaint was registered at the Mdantsane Police Station by councillor and EFF regional chair Mziyanda Hlekiso after the party’s leadership conducted an oversight visit to the complex, where they were left shocked by the lack in progress in the project, despite so much money having been spent on it.
The upgrades, Mhlakuvana said, started more than 12 years ago, but the project remained incomplete.
“The Hawks can confirm that on November 29, the office conducted a search-and-seizure operation at BCM’s supply chain management office in Chiselhurst.
“The Hawks are investigating allegations of fraud and corruption concerning swimming pools that were to be built at NU 2 Mdantsane.
“According to the reports, the project started in 2012, and to date it has not yet been finalised.
“It is further alleged that the money involved is [about] R32m, and the Hawks have seized specific documents to assist in unlocking the investigation, which is still ongoing,” Mhlakuvana said.
BCM’s acting spokesperson Thanduxolo Matebese, said on Friday he was still waiting for “some details from the relevant office”.
However, he later failed to respond to the Dispatch’s questions relating to the raid and an internal probe of the failed project sanctioned by the council in July.
The EFF leader in council, Mziyanda Hlekiso, said on Sunday the party supported the “long overdue investigation” by the Hawks.
“We just cannot allow the financial resources of the municipality to continue being misused.”
DA chief whip Anathi Majeke said the investigation was a “welcome development”.
“The long delay in the swimming pool project, coupled with the alleged misappropriation of R32m, highlights the need for thorough investigation and accountability.
“The seizure of documents by the Hawks is a positive step towards uncovering the truth and potentially bringing those responsible to justice,” Majeke said.
“The community of NU 2 Mdantsane, who have been waiting for the swimming pool project for decades, deserve to see justice served.”
Municipal public accounts committee (Mpac) chair and ANC councillor Sakhumzi Caga also welcomed the Hawks probe, but refused to comment further, saying his committee had a report on the matter which would be tabled before council on Friday.
In July, the council gave the green light for external forensic investigators to be contracted to establish what had happened to the millions pumped into the pool project.
At the time, city manager Mxolisi Yawa said the scope of work for the investigators “includes reviewing the project from inception stage to the current financial year”.
The team was set to complete its probe and have its report submitted at a September council meeting, but this did not happen.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya previously told the Dispatch that “the Mdantsane swimming pool is among key facilities instrumental in our quest to bring state-of-the-art, quality services to the doorstep of where our people reside”.
Ngwenya said the city had been forced to move the project finalisation and handing over dates because of factors including persistent rains, the Covid-19 lockdown, community protests and contractual disputes.
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