By Johnathan Paoli
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) raid on the offices of Polokwane Executive Mayor John Mpe and Municipal Manager Thuso Nemugumoni has sparked strong reactions from opposition parties, with both the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) hailing the move as a long-overdue step toward accountability.
The EFF, which has repeatedly accused Mpe of corruption, celebrated the Hawks’ action, with Limpopo chairperson Lawrence Mapoulo framing the operation as a victory for whistle-blowers and residents.
“John Mpe and his crew never thought this moment would come. They thought they were untouchable and that they can dribble their way out of the large scale corruption they were involved in. Even the misguided press conference did not help John and the company to wash away their sins. It was just a matter of time that they are caught in their tracks,” he said.
Mapoulo accused the mayor of playing the role of “kingpin” in an alleged sprawling corruption network linked to municipal contracts and money laundering through the Makoro Foundation, of which Mpe is the chairperson.
The party further condemned the state of service delivery in Polokwane, citing water shortages, persistent potholes, jobs for friends, and alleged manipulation of housing and electricity supply for the benefit of connected individuals.
The DA in Polokwane, meanwhile, focused its response on governance reforms, calling for forensic investigations and lifestyle audits for senior officials.
DA finance spokesperson Jacques Joubert linked the raid to a whistle-blower’s spreadsheet, handed to the party less than two months ago, which outlined 28 tenders worth more than R724 million awarded during 2022 and 2023.
According to the DA, the tenders showed suspicious patterns, including contracts awarded to foreign-owned companies and entities allegedly connected to Mpe, Nemugumoni, and their close associates.
“In light of what the President said at the ANC ‘roll call’ event on Monday, we challenge the ANC-led administration to put to practice the words uttered about accountability and initiate a full forensic investigation,” Joubert said.
He also called for Mpe and Nemugumoni to declare their gift registers and undergo lifestyle audits, warning that if council fails to convene a special sitting within seven days to address the matter, the DA will table its own motion.
The twin responses from the EFF and DA underscore growing political pressure on the ANC-led municipality, which has faced mounting allegations of corruption.
ActionSA first filed a case in July after whistle-blower Thapelo Molepo alleged irregular tender awards implicating the mayor and municipal manager.
The Hawks then approached the Polokwane High Court, securing a warrant to obtain documents directly from the municipality’s offices.
Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala confirmed the Hawks’ “visit” and insisted that the municipality is cooperating fully.
“The Hawks visited the municipality as part of their investigative processes by seeking certain documents relevant to their inquiry. While I can confirm that documents were requested, I’m not in a position to disclose specifics as doing so compromise the integrity of the investigation,” he said.
He stressed that the municipality would remain committed to service delivery and governance “as guided by legislative framework”.
Selala also pointed out that the municipality has “proactively opened cases relating to material irregularities,” although he did not specify which matters were referred to law enforcement.
Reports suggest that the Hawks have seized a number of documents, but investigators have not yet revealed the nature of the evidence collected.
The developments come at a time of heightened scrutiny of municipal governance in Limpopo.
Polokwane, the province’s economic hub, has long been plagued by allegations of tender fraud, wasteful expenditure, and political patronage.
Residents have voiced growing frustration over poor services and questionable financial management.
The ANC is yet to issue an official response.
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