ActionSA demands probe into abandoned Boipatong Old Age home project

By Charmaine Ndlela

ActionSA has called on the Public Protector to investigate the stalled Boipatong Old Age home project, where more than R28 million has already been spent, yet the facility remains incomplete, vandalised, and long abandoned.

This follows the party’s formal criminal complaint against the Emfuleni Local Municipality, the Gauteng Department of Social Development, and the provincial government.

ActionSA Gauteng provincial legislature leader, Funzi Ngobeni, said the project—initiated in 2015 by the Emfuleni Local Municipality —was meant to deliver a fully equipped residential facility for elderly residents in Boipatong.

“Only 52% of the work was completed. R25 million was paid to the main contractors, JM Mcwango Trading and Makgotamishe Building Construction, while over R3 million went to professional service providers,” Ngobeni said.

“To date, no recovery efforts or consequence management actions have been undertaken by the responsible department.”

In response to questions from Ngobeni, Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure and Cooperative