The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng will write to Premier Panyaza Lesufi demanding that he respond to the Public Protector’s (PP) request for him to ask President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged corruption in the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP). Alexandra residents demand to know what happened to the money allocated to improve their living conditions and ensure access to basic services.

There is very little to show for the R2.2 billion spent on the ARP. In addition, an investigative report by Johannesburg’s Forensic unit has been buried for many years. This is while residents in Alexandra continue to live in squalor. The request by the PP to Premier Lesufi is not the first time such a request has been made to a sitting Premier. A similar request was made to former Premier David Makhura and appears to have never been implemented.

Despite the PP directing Makhura to request a Presidential proclamation for an SIU investigation, no record exists of such a proclamation being issued. No final SIU report has been released, suggesting that the request was either ignored or suppressed.

During an investigation into poor living conditions in Alexandra, the PP could not investigate corruption allegations because crucial documents related to the ARP had been seized by the City of Johannesburg’s forensic unit (GFIS) from the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements. This is the department that funded most of the ARP.

The PP confirmed that GFIS conducted its investigation but that the report remains unpublished, despite formal requests for its release. The City of Johannesburg has since publicly confirmed that the GFIS report revealed serious irregularities and evidence of a “slush fund” used to benefit politically connected individuals.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes this constitutes a deliberate cover-up to shield ANC politicians from accountability.

The DA will formally request that Premier Lesufi trigger the long-overdue SIU investigation, and we have submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to obtain the GFIS report.

It is unacceptable that, decades later, the residents of Alexandra have no answers while billions have vanished without consequence.

The people of Alexandra deserve justice, and the DA will continue to fight until those responsible are exposed and held accountable. Only then can we begin to restore hope and rebuild trust.

A DA-led provincial government would immediately have the Premier write to President Ramaphosa asking for a proclamation to be issued for an SIU investigation. Once this investigation is complete, we will immediately release the report and implement the recommended remedial action.

Issued by Alan Fuchs MPL - DA Gauteng Member of Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA)