The Democratic Alliance (DA) have claimed to have convinced the auditor-general (AG) to investigate the ZAR140 million (US$15 million) Free State website deal done by the state’s premier Ace Magashule.
The National Treasury and Free State provincial government have already launched their own investigations, but the DA appear to have been successful in bringing the AG into the fold.
Free State’s website, billed the “most expensive in South Africa” by critics and revealed by the Sowetan newspaper at the beginning of the month, was reportedly built by businessman Tumi Ntsele who also holds tenders with a number of other provincial departments.
A DA statement today said: “In response to the DA’s request, the AG said that the website will be included in an investigation of a sample of contracts awarded by Premier Magashule’s Office.
“The DA welcomes this investigation and trusts that the AG will get to the bottom of this matter.”
The results of the investigation will be included in the official AG report on the Magashule’s financial statements.
The DA added: “Massive amounts of public money cannot be used to enrich Premier Magashule’s allies in business while service delivery projects in the Free State continue to suffer.”
