DA wants NW Premiers summoned for Bapo ba Mogale missing millions
13 October 2016
Following the damning preliminary report by the Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela, on the gross mismanagement of the Bapo ba Mogale community’s tribal money, the Democratic Alliance will ask Scopa to summon all North West Premier’s since 1994 to account for their share in the missing millions.
This account, known as the D-account, was set up by the North West Government, for development of the area. This included payments from Lonmin and other businesses mining on the community land.
Funds in the account amounted to more than R617million, which was made up of R392 million in deposits and R224 million in interest earned in the past two decades. The account was handed over with a balance of R721 000 in 1994. By 2014, the balance in the account had dropped to just over R495 000.
In 2014, the community stopped using the account and since then, about R40 million in royalties were received. Most of the money has since been spent.
The North West government is accountable for the expenditure of the millions. We are shocked by the findings of the Public Protector that the last 20 years, there had been no oversight structure, such as a trust, to protect the money.
While we wait for the final report that will be ready by December or early next year, the DA will ask Scopa to investigate the Premiers’ roles in this debacle. They are indicated in the report and should be held accountable and answer to the community.
The community approached the Public Protector to investigate the account, expenditure, who authorized expenditure and also who the beneficiaries were. It is also alleged that the King, Kgosi Mogale’s palace had undergone an upgrade of nearly R80 million.
We welcome all steps to help the community to get back what was taken from them. This opened the door for corruption and we believe in transparent and accountable governance. The Premiers must come and explain why they failed this community for the past 22 years. The money belongs to the people of the tribe and all efforts should be taken to unveil corruption, mismanagement and to recuperate the funds.
We will also table questions in the NWPL to provide the names of similar accounts for all communities in North West, the amounts held in these accounts, further more we will demand statements of income and expenditure for each accounts and as required by law, we would like to see detailed revenue expenditure and the audited reports.
Issued by Joe McGluwa, DA NW Leader, 13 October 2016
