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The Public Protector has issued a damning final report into the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality’s handling of the Lesseyton Stadium project, confirming widespread maladministration and abuse of public resources. The report, finalised on 18 June 2025, follows a public outcry over the poor state of a stadium that allegedly cost R22 million to construct.
According to the report, the municipality failed to follow proper procurement procedures and disregarded key financial controls outlined in the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). The facility, meant to serve the rural community of Lesseyton near Komani, sparked national outrage when photos of its substandard condition went viral in 2021.
The investigation found that the project was plagued by poor planning, lack of consultation, and excessive pricing. The construction quality was below standard, and many of the promised features of the stadium were either incomplete or never delivered.
The Public Protector’s office concluded that the tender process lacked transparency, the pricing was grossly inflated, and that senior municipal officials failed to act in the public’s interest. The report criticised the municipality for failing to conduct a proper feasibility study and for ignoring warnings from internal auditing units.
Community members and oversight bodies raised alarms as early as 2019, yet the project went ahead despite the evident financial and structural flaws. The report further noted that whistleblowers were ignored, and oversight structures, including the municipal public accounts committee, were ineffective in halting the project’s mismanagement.
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