As part of the remedial action outlined in the report, the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has been directed to take urgent steps against those responsible for the Lesseyton Stadium debacle.
The Public Protector has instructed the MEC to initiate disciplinary proceedings against all municipal officials implicated in the maladministration, particularly those in senior roles who authorised the flawed procurement and signed off on payments despite poor project performance.
The report also compels the MEC to submit a detailed implementation plan within 60 days. This plan must outline specific steps to be taken against the officials involved, with timelines and accountability measures.
Additionally, the Public Protector has called on the Auditor-General and the National Treasury to conduct a forensic audit of all infrastructure projects managed by Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality between 2017 and 2022. The aim is to determine whether similar abuses occurred in other municipal projects.
Community members in Lesseyton expressed relief and cautious optimism about the report’s recommendations. “We were robbed. This hall was a joke, and the people responsible must pay,” said local resident Zolile Mfundisi.
While the report does not recommend criminal prosecution at this stage, civil society groups and opposition parties have indicated they will lobby for further legal action. Calls are growing for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to launch criminal investigations based on the report’s findings.
The fallout from the Lesseyton Stadium scandal is likely to intensify pressure on Eastern Cape municipalities to clean up procurement practices and ensure greater oversight of public funds.
