Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Roy Jankielsohn MPL and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL, as well as images here, here and here of a previous oversight.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) submitted documents containing information on the Ramkraal project to the SIU today following the proclamation by President Ramaphosa authorising an investigation into the project.
The DA has submitted the information, which spans over ten years, as committed to previously, to the SIU to support their investigation.
The Ramkraal site in Bloemfontein was intended to be the new administrative precinct for the Free State Legislature, the institution responsible for legislation and doing oversight over provincial government departments and entities in the province. To date, an alarming amount of at least R107 million has been spent with nothing to show, a clear and egregious misuse of public funds that should not be tolerated.
The DA has been unwavering in its pursuit of the Ramkraal issue in the Legislature since 2013, a journey marked by numerous site visits, probing questions to MECs, persistent requests for investigations and archiving information.
In 2013, we requested the former Speaker of the Free State Legislature, Ms Ouma Tsopo, that the Legislature investigate this matter, which was then blocked by the ANC. After the DA’s insistence, an ad hoc committee was appointed, which recommended that the issue be referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
The DA remains dedicated to rooting out corruption in government and will implement our Rescue Plan for South Africa and the Free State following the election on 29 May.