Africa-Press – South-Africa. Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Lebogang Maile ordered the Board of Directors of the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) to undertake an urgent investigation into whether the GPF offered excessive loans spanning more than a decade to Nonkwelo Investments.
News24 reported on Wednesday morning that Deputy President Paul Mashatile lives in the R37-million house registered on a 99-year lease to Legacy Properties. According to company records, the directors of Legacy are Mashatile’s son, Thabiso, and his son-in-law, Nceba Nonkwelo.
Nonkwelo Investments received at least four loans from the GPF totalling at least R30 million between 2013 and 2017 – overlapping with Mashatile’s second stint as human settlements MEC.
According to Nonkwelo, the loans were to develop a property in Highlands, Johannesburg, for student accommodation that News24 has learned was to be named Hunter Heights. Construction, however, has not been completed, with no discernible construction having taken place on the property.
According to a statement from his spokesperson Castro Ngobese, Maile noted News24’s report “with concern”.
“As a public office-bearer I have a duty to protect public funds from any form of wrongdoing or abuse. We cannot keep quiet on accusations of this nature. Nothing will be swept under the carpet. No single entity will be a playground for the powerful, well connected or anyone for that matter.
Maile said:
According to the statement, the Gauteng government remains committed to fighting corruption in line with its electoral mandate and successive manifesto commitments.
News24 previously reported that Mashatile lived a life of luxury in expensive homes, owned by businesspeople who benefitted from state contracts.
One of Mashatile’s largest benefactors is Edwin Sodi, the politically-connected businessperson currently on trial on charges of corruption and fraud linked to a R255-million Free State asbestos eradication tender, together with former Free State premier, Ace Magashule, who was recently expelled from the ANC.
After that report, the DA laid a complaint with the Public Protector.
DA spokesperson Solly Malatsi said on Wednesday that the party would request the Public Protector extend the scope of her investigation to include these latest allegations.
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