The Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and infrastructure is facing serious allegations of inflated Covid-19 spending after the DA claimed a R2-million tender was issued for the installation of just two Jojo tanks, urinals, and basins at a school in Carolina.
The claim shines a light on emergency procurement during the pandemic, a period meant for speed and safety, yet increasingly associated with questionable contracts.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Teboho Sekaledi, the DA member of the provincial legislature, said the deal surfaced during a recent Taking Legislature to the People outreach, where party representatives visited Carolina Academy School.
Sekaledi said the project dates back to 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, when government departments were rolling out urgent water and sanitation interventions at schools.
“In an oversight last week, the DA learned that the service provider was appointed by the Mpumalanga department of public works in 2020 to install Jojo tanks, pumps, urinals and basins at the school.
“The contractor installed two 2 500-litres of Jojo tanks, eight urinals, and 16 basins at the school,” he said.
Resistance from the principal
According to the DA, the service provider allegedly invoiced the department R2-million for the work, a figure that triggered resistance from the school’s principal.
“According to information gathered, the contractor invoiced public works R2-million for work done, but the principal of Carolina Academy School refused to sign off on the invoice as he believed the amount charged for the work done was ridiculous and inflated,” Sekaledi said.
The DA further alleged that the principal has faced pressure over several years to approve the payment.
“Between 2020 and 2024, the principal has been getting threats and intimidation from officials to sign off for the work so that the contractor can be paid,” he claimed.
It remains unclear whether the R2-million was ultimately paid. What is clear, however, is the widening gap between the alleged invoice and market reality.
At current retail value, a 2,500-litre JoJo tank typically sells for between R10 000 and R11 000, raising questions about how a limited Covid-19 installation could escalate into a multi-million rand figure.
Sekaledi described the alleged pricing as reflective of deeper procurement failures during the pandemic.
“Inflating the prices of these water tanks was pure fraud and criminality,” he said.
Cheaper devices delivered
The controversy mirrors last year’s R2-million laptop procurement scandal that rocked the Mpumalanga Department of Education, where 22 laptops were bought at about R91 000 each, far above market value.
A forensic probe found that cheaper devices were delivered, while procurement rules were bent through restricted specifications and irregular approvals.
Several officials were charged internally, including head of department Lucy Moyane, who was later found guilty of negligence and issued with a written warning before returning to work.
The provincial government has since recovered part of the money from the service provider, while further disciplinary and possible criminal processes continue.
Together, these cases reveal a concerning trend where officials appear to have facilitated inflated pricing and diminished oversight.
At the time of publication, the Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and infrastructure had not responded to requests for comment sent on Tuesday afternoon.
- The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works is accused of inflating Covid-19 spending, with a R2-million tender reportedly issued for installing two Jojo tanks, urinals, and basins at a Carolina school.
- The DA uncovered the issue during a visit to Carolina Academy School and claims the principal resisted approving the invoice due to its inflated cost, facing pressure and intimidation over four years.
- Market prices suggest a 2,500-litre JoJo tank costs about R10,000 to R11,000, raising suspicions of fraud in the multi-million rand invoice.
- This scandal echoes a previous R2-million laptop procurement controversy in Mpumalanga, involving overpriced devices and irregular procurement processes, leading to internal charges against officials.
- The provincial department has not yet commented, and investigations along with disciplinary actions are ongoing, highlighting broader procurement failures during the pandemic.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Teboho Sekaledi, the DA member of the provincial legislature, said the deal surfaced during a recent
Sekaledi said the project dates back to 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, when government departments were rolling out urgent water and sanitation interventions at schools.
"In an oversight last week, the DA learned that the service provider was appointed by the
"
“
“Between 2020 and 2024, the principal has been getting threats and intimidation from officials to sign off for the work so that the contractor can be paid,” he claimed.
It remains unclear whether the R2-million was ultimately paid. What is clear, however, is the widening gap between the alleged invoice and market reality.
At current retail value, a 2,500-litre JoJo tank typically sells for between R10 000 and R11 000, raising questions about how a limited Covid-19 installation could escalate into a multi-million rand figure.
Sekaledi described the alleged pricing as reflective of deeper procurement failures during the pandemic.
“
A forensic probe found that cheaper devices were delivered, while procurement rules were bent through restricted specifications and irregular approvals.
Several officials were charged internally, including head of department Lucy Moyane, who was later found guilty of negligence and issued with a written warning before returning to work.
At the time of publication, the
