R7 million submission for Macufe raises eyebrows

The search and seizure by the DPCI aka Hawks at the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation that led to the documents relating to Macufe dating back to 2017 are likely to send shockwaves across the Free State Provincial Government.

This allegedly followed a criminal case opened at Park Road Police station by Selby Hiliza, a businessman whose company came second in the bidding process.

According to a copy of the complaint by Hiliza in possession of this publication, he questions the payment of R14 million and regards that as a breach of PFMA.

Interestingly, Hiliza cites the following:
Limakatso Mahasa – MEC SACR
Zola Thamae – Acting HoD SACR
Masechaba Sesing – HoD Treasury
Mahlape Ntipe – Acting CFO SACR
Mario Sefo – Festival Director

One name is missing from those cited and that is Vincent Khetha, the Chief Director and Programme Manager.

Khetha like Sefo, Ntipe, and Thamae signed almost all papers but that is a story on its own as to why he is not cited.

Step UP SA News was able to access the route form signed on 12 September 2022 by Sefo, Khetha, Ntipe, and Thamae. The only signature missing is that of the Treasury.

Another document is the certificate of payment confirmation from SACR prepared by S Piex and signed by both Ntipe and Thamae on 14 September 2022.

S. Piex also prepared and signed the BCT payment list and it was also signed by DC Pule.

To date only Pakiso Lebone, a Treasury official remains suspended and Treasury replied as follows:

“The department is not at liberty to divulge anything related to the suspension at this stage, due to its sensitivity and the possibility that divulging that information may jeopardize the investigation.”

This is after we asked Treasury the following questions:

1. Macufe
   a) Why has Pakiso Lebone been suspended?
   b) When is he likely to appear before the hearing?
   c) Is Any other person suspended with him?
   d) According to an insider at the Dpt of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, the payment submission was forwarded to Free State Treasury on the 13th of September 2022 at 14h45 and was received by the office of HOD Masechaba Sesing as per stamp on the route form. Is this true?
   e) How long has the HOD kept the submission in her office?
   f) Who received it(submission) at her office?
   g) When was it received?
   h) Who delivered the submission to Lebone’s office and when?
   I) Who accepted the submission in Lebone’s office?
   j) According to the payment stub the payment was authorized on the 13th of September 2022 at 17h52: 34 seconds by user name VISSERPA for an amount of R14 533 007.53 as a payment for MACUFE 2022 to C-Squared as per payee name. The following day on the 14th of September 2022 Ms. DC Pule and S. PIEK signed the payment as per bank signatories.
   What role did Lebone play?

Maybe we should send these questions to Hawks.

The irony of this attitude from Treasury is just yesterday they had communication workshop and disseminating information was overly emphasised but that too we will deal with it including the bullying tactics that will not work.

In other news sources from SACR say another submission for R7 million has been sent to Treasury for payment and that will make total of money paid just over R21m for a tender that was awarded at R16 million.

This is a developing story.

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