By Palesa Nguqu
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Limpopo Provincial Legislature has called for the urgent establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate allegations of financial irregularities, abuse, and poor governance within the legislature.
This comes after troubling revelations of financial mismanagement, irregular expenditure and lack of transparency within the legislature.
According to the DA, the Oversight Committee Reports on the 2024/2025 Annual Report and the 2025/2026 Quarter 1 Report has highlighted several concerning findings, including:
- The Auditor General found that the financial statements submitted for auditing were not fully prepared in accordance with generally recognised accounting practices and lacked proper supporting documentation.
- The procurement of a vehicle for the Speaker, Makoma Makhurupetje, reportedly costing over R1 million, directly contributed to the legislature’s poor audit outcomes. Despite the Speaker’s claim that she did not request the vehicle, the Oversight Committee on 8 October 2025 resolved that she must provide clear timelines for submitting the investigation report.
- Out of 58 performance targets, the legislature achieved only 39, representing a mere 68% success rate, highlighting inefficiency and weak accountability.
The DA said that further concerns were raised regarding the actions of the Legislature’s Secretary, Dr. Timothy Maake, who caused R1.8 million in cancelled flights and unused accommodation for a delegation to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference, reportedly due to a dispute over the printing of his academic title on airline tickets.
The party added that failure of the Oversight Committee to livestream proceedings during critical interrogations, including those related to these irregularities, has further undermined transparency and eroded public trust.
“Relying solely on an internal investigation is no longer sufficient, particularly given the involvement of both the Speaker and the Secretary,” said Advocate Franco Marx, DA provincial spokesperson on Legislature Oversight.
“The disposal of an asset under investigation is a blatant red flag. Limpopo residents cannot accept the misuse of public funds being swept under the carpet.”
“Full transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. The people of Limpopo deserve to see that their funds are managed responsibly and that those responsible are held to account.”
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