Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane and Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka have jointly called for a criminal investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) into the controversial Mayibuye Primary School project in Tembisa, undertaken by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

This follows Maimane’s 2020 visit to Mayibuye Primary School, during which he raised concerns about the misuse of public funds.

The school, built on a wetland, remains unsafe for human use, despite nearly R100 million being spent on the project. Maimane’s complaint triggered an investigation by Gcaleka’s office.

Both Maimane and Gcaleka emphasised the critical importance of children's safety, given the hazardous conditions of the school environment.

The school was constructed on a swamp, with sewerage running through the grounds.

“Built on a wetland, the school remains unsafe for human habitation as sewerage flows through its grounds. It has to date cost almost R100 million without a single day of teaching occurring in the building,” said Maimane.

After a 45-month investigation, the Public Protector’s report found that the Gauteng Department of Education and the Department of Infrastructure Development improperly constructed Mayibuye Primary School on an old sewer line without conducting a wetland study.

The report further highlighted serious issues with the procurement and supply chain management procedures used to build the school, with an initial price tag of R82 million.

The Public Protector’s report gave the Department of Infrastructure Development a 60-day deadline to submit a project plan to complete the school.

In response to the failure to meet the deadline for remedial action, set for August 29, Bosa and the Public Protector have called for immediate consequences, including the recovery of misused funds.

In their joint statement, they said: “While we are generally pleased with the findings of the report, the deadline for the remedial action was midnight on Thursday, August 29.

“This date has long come and passed. Therefore, we are of the view that concrete consequence management must follow, specifically recovering of the funds spent.”

Maimane and Gcaleka are also pushing for accountability and a formal criminal investigation into possible fraud and corruption.

They have written to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation to request that a thorough investigation be launched into the handling of the project.

“We therefore request that a proper and formal criminal investigation be conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, and have today written to the Directorate to request such.”

The duo has called for a swift response, concluding: “We look forward to a positive response from the DPCI within the next seven days.”

IOL