The Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute (GWRI) have been evicted from the premises that they were renting a month ago due to the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation’s (SACR) failure to account for its service provider, Nhlululo Development that disappeared with R180 000.

Nhlululo Development is a service provider appointed by SACR which failed to transfer R180 000 meant to assist the Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute with a coaching clinic and capacity building.

GWRI is facing financial challenges and was evicted from their rented premises because they were unable to pay for utilities. The young women who were part of this institution are now suffering as they do not have access to rugby training centre to nurture their skills.

GWRI has failed to retrieve the funds from Nhlululo Development. The DA is engaging with the department which is dodging accountability on the matter.

In a response to my written questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), the department states that they are aware of this matter as it was reported by the GWRI.

The department sought a legal opinion which advised them that there had no financial obligations towards the GWRI, and that the department is not liable for R180 000.00. In addition, the department is exploring the option of working with the police to track and trace Nhlululo Development.

The DA still believes that it is the responsibility of the department to ensure that its contracted service providers deliver on the contracted work. The department is responsible for monitoring the delivery of services by its service providers and must also act when service providers do not deliver the services they are paid to perform.

The DA has opened an enquiry docket with the South African Police Services’ Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Commercial Crimes Unit in Johannesburg to investigate the matter and will continue to make follow-ups.

We will use all the mechanisms at our disposal to ensure that Nhlululo Development pays back the money to the department and that the money is given to the GWRI to assist Gauteng women in sports.

 

Issued by Kingsol Chabalala MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR)