Public Protector tight-lipped over investigations into the costs of the two funerals of Makgoe and his bodyguard

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA) is tightlipped over the costs of the funerals of the late Education MEC, Tate Makgoe, and his bodyguard, Vuyo Mdi.

Makgoe and Mdi died in a car accident near Winburg on the N1 after their car hit cows.

The cost of Makgoe’s funeral at R3.5m sent the entire country into a freeze but there is more.

Step UP SA has good authority the total cost is R5.2 million and the Public Protector is investigating the costs, the team fetched documents from the office of the Premier on Friday, 24 June 2023 at 12h00.

According to a source with intimate knowledge, the office of the Premier handed documents to the Public Protector and the following companies provided quotes:

• Consumer Connectedness (C-2)
• Bokgiba Trading
• Dot Design
• Unnamed company

It is a well-known fact that C-2 got the job and we reached out to the other three companies to find out and verify if indeed they have quoted considering the accident happened on Sunday but by Monday already plans were afoot and the said service provider is alleged to have been part of the meeting.

Lefa Tsiboloane of Bokgiba Trading confirmed that his company did quote and went a step further to say the costs were reasonable.

“I have been in this place since 2008, these are pre covid-19 prizes, nothing has changed and where we are sitting I think it’s fair, I don’t see anything wrong with the prizes. We always submit quotes and it could have gone either way.”

Asked if he has ever done any funeral in the past or how he was contacted and by who to provide a quote he did not answer.

Tsiboloane shared the Premier’s sentiments that maybe Provincial Government or Treasury should set a threshold for funerals.

Dukwana allegedly said so in the EXCO meeting on Thursday, 22 June 2023 when he addressed the EXCO following news that SIU will also investigate the costs as well.

DG and CFO under fire over costs of the funeral

The total costs for both funerals is R5.2 million but why did Free State Provincial Government only mention the R3.5 million for Makgoe and not mention that they have paid for the funeral of an SAPS member who was not a government employee? Why did they conceal this?

Mosa Likobo of Dot Design whose company is also alleged to have submitted a quote said his company did not submit any quotation as they were never requested.

“I take note of your enquiry.

We didn’t receive a request to quote for the said funeral, we, therefore, cannot comment any further on your enquiries as we do not know what the quotation entails.”

The last and fourth company that is alleged to have quoted owned by Nasty did not respond to our questions which included if they will participate in the Public Protector investigation.

Ndili Msoki, acting spokesperson for Public Protector confirmed the investigation.

This is a developing story.

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