While preparations are at the advanced stage for the renaming of the town of Brandfort to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela town, a project gazzeted by Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthetwa, there is an outcry from all sectors including an opposition party in the Free State and the community of Majwemasweu.
Among issues raised by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the community of Majwemasweu is lack of consultation and transparency from the government.
Step Up SA News visited the small town in the Masilonyane Local Municipality, 50 km outside Bloemfontein, and paid a visit to the incomplete Winnie Madikizila-Mandela Museum at house number 802.
This project was started by erstwhile MEC Mathabo Leeto before she was ousted by the ANC’s suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule after the provincial conference, which was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Following the court ruling, the Free State provincial executive committee (PEC) was dissolved and replaced by an interim provincial committee (IPC) led by Magashule’s nemesis Mxolisi Dukwana, who testified in the State Capture Commision and is earmarked to replace Sam Mashinini as MEC for Roads and Transport.
In her 2018/19 budget vote Leeto said “The Free State Government conceptualised the Winnie Madikizela Mandela Museum project during the 2007/8 financial year as pronounced in the budget vote of the department then. An amount of R3 million was budgeted for this project. Of the R3 million, an amount of R204 827.60 was spent on the designs of the museum. The balance of R2 795 172.40 was redirected and spent to renovate the Wesleyan Church for the ANC centenary celebrations in 2012.
During the same year, the project was taken over by the national Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) because of its international significance. DAC subsequently appointed the Independent Development Trust (IDT) as an implementing agency for the project. On 7 November 2013, the IDT appointed a company called DMZ-DMZ for an amount of R2 509.12 . On 8 September 2014, the IDT terminated DMZ-DMZ contract due to non- performance. The project was re- advertised by the IDT on 20 August 2015 because of lack of progress.
DAC cancelled their contract with the IDT around July 2017. The department interacted with DAC about the Winnie Mandela Museum and subsequent to that the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture (please provide the name of the then deputy minister) convened a meeting with relevant stakeholders to discuss the project. At the meetings convened by the deputy minister of DAC, it was agreed that the house be fenced so that access to it could be controlled.
DAC appointed a company called Risimati Consulting Engineers in November 2017 through the Department of Human Settlements.”
From 2 May 2019 to November 2019 the project was completed at a cost of R3.8m and the project was taken over by the national government after money meant for the museum went missing. Restoration and the newly-built internet hub, guard house and ablution facilities. The gymnasium and basketball court were only completed in June 2021.
The official opening is earmarked for May 2022 as there are delays with furniture, but the tender is out for antique furniture and COVID-19 is not making things easier.
In addition to the furniture, the department is struggling to have risk management in place and it’s difficult to insure the museum as there is no counter contract.
That said, Step Up SA News has established that a new security company Tabure SEC PTY LTD was appointed in July 2021 and it reduced security personnel from 5 to 2 and completely cut off women security officers meaning the two male security officers, one for day and one for night shift were searching female visitors.
Up on further investigation, the security personnel working at the museum have not been paid their July salaries and to confirm that they have clocked they send a “Please call me” to their control room in Bloemfontein. It remains a mystery as to how they take their lunch breaks as there’s no one to relieve them and, more importantly, in case of emergency they have to wait for their supervisor, who they have only seen once in July. That was when he handed them their contracts. The security personal do not even have uniform and the museum does not have arm system.
The contracts, which Step Up SA has seen, are month-to-month and are only signed by the employees, not the employer, with gaps on how much they will be paid and mute on whether they will be paid per hour, per day and deductions.
Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in the Free State had not responded to questions sent by Step Up SA News including why a company appointed by them had not paid security personnel.
This is a developing story.
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