Free State legislature plunged into darkness as Magashule’s associate fails to pay
22 November 2018
The Free State Provincial Legislature has been plunged into darkness for the second day due to non-payment of electricity. The landlord of the Southern Life Building in Bloemfontein, whose largest tenant is the Free State legislature, has failed to pay Mangaung’s electricity supply entity Centlec causing them to cut off the electricity.
The building was bought two years ago by Robs Property Investments owned by convicted fraudster and a Magashule associate Mr Blacky Seoe. The contract between the Legislature and Robs Property Investments has been questioned by the Auditor-General for not complying with supply chain management procedures.
Robs Property Investments is involved in various property deals with the provincial government and the controversial Free State Development Corporation (FDC). Blacky Seoe was at one stage chairperson of the FDC and was identified on video footage with former Free State Premier Ace Magahsule during a visit to a site in QwaQwa that allegedly involved a property deal between the FDC and Magshule’s daughter.
The electricity disruption affects most of the administrative and political party staff at the Free State Legislature. Staff are unable to get to work or work in darkness in the seven floor building. It appears that, while tenants are paying electricity to the landlord, he has not been paying this over to Centlec. This can be expected when deals are made with fraudsters.
The DA has questioned the disruptions of work at the legislature due to lifts and air conditioners not working in the Rules and Orders Committee. DA party staff also lodged a complaint about these issues with the Department of Labour. Last week the two floors of basement parking were flooded with sewerage water.
The DA will request the management of the legislature, at the next meeting of this committee, to put out a tender for alternative office space and cancel the lease with the current landlord.
Issued by Roy Jankielsohn, Leader of the Official Opposition in the Free State Provincial Legislature, 22 November 2018
