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The Democratic Alliance will send written questions to the Premier Supra Mahumapelo requesting answers about an R32 million contract that was allocated to a Close Corporation (CC) with only one member - an alleged family member of the Premier.

The contract is for a call centre in one of our poorest municipalities in the province and it was confirmed to us that the centre handles on average a paltry 32 calls per month. They also do not have many overheads as the call centre is situated in the municipal buildings.

The R32 million is to be paid over a period of three years.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot run away from Mahumapelo's recurring allegations of corruption. The only action Ramaphosa should take today is to recall the Premier. Anything less would amount to ignoring the people of the North West who have suffered under this ANC administration.

We are alarmed that the only member of the Closed Corporation, that is registered at a Gauteng address, specialises in branding and marketing, yet is being paid with the people's money to run a call centre for a local municipality.

Over the past few years, the CC has come close to being deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission due to non-compliance.

The same person who is the only member of the CC, was in the news in 2012 when a similar contract for a call centre was awarded to him in Moretele. Mahumapelo was at the time the Provincial Chairperson of the ANC in North West. They received R970 000 upfront on the total R3 million contract – even before any work was done.

The Premier must come clean and answer to the people why money can be used for frivolous expenses while our communities suffer without houses, water and jobs. We want to know how his government can help to fill the pockets of tenderpreneurs while our people don’t have access to proper services.

It is time for Total Change in North West where people have access to tender applications and can give their input. We don’t need a few rich cadres, but jobs for all.

Issued by DA