Central SA
Free State MEC cancels road projects oversight trip─── LUCKY NKUYANE 08:09 Wed, 27 Apr 2022
The Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport has - in a twist of events - cancelled its planned visit to five road projects.
MEC William Bulwane and his departmental officials were set to take journalists to these controversial road projects.
Departmental spokesperson, Hillary Mophethe, says the MEC has other commitments.
This follows after the Free State Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and disgruntled contractors accused Bulwane of paying R180 million in advance to contractors.
READ MORE: EFF threatens with case against Free State department
Bulwane has however strongly rejected these claims, and has since promised to take media houses on a tour to assess and inspect the projects.
READ MORE: Free State MEC strongly denies alleged advance payments
Last week MEC Bulwane accused the Ket Civils Company, which was contracted to construct some of the roads, of abandoning the sites and trying to defraud the department of millions of rand.
However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ket Civils, Kennedy Mohapi, told OFM News allegations that three contracts were terminated due to the contractors abandoning the sites and non-performance are deliberately misleading the public.
Mohapi added that in 2021, the acting Head of the Department (HOD) attempted to terminate the contracts, but failed after a court order was handed down by Judge Pitso Molitsoane, who ordered the department to pay the costs of the applicant.
