This as the joint Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts and Finance, including Public Works, Infrastructure, Roads, Transport and Human Settlements, are expected to discuss this historic site’s progress report. The Old Ramkraal Prison in Bloemfontein was allocated R120 million for refurbishments by the provincial government to house the Free State Legislature nearly a decade ago, but to date the project stands dilapidated with millions unaccounted for. Similar to the multimillion-rand Vrede Dairy Project, this project has over the years drawn much controversy with opposition parties in the Legislature demanding answers as to where the R120 million allegedly spent on the site, was applied.

The joined portfolio committee sitting scheduled for Wednesday is expected to outline how investigations into these projects have been progressing and whether the project will ever materialise.

Interim findings of a special audit by the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) presented before the committee last year November indicates that a total of R107 million remained unaccounted for.

The AG’s Odwa Duda, during the November meeting, revealed that no feasibility study, which is one of the prerequisites for projects, was carried out. It was also revealed that consultants in this project were appointed without proper procurement processes and no service level agreements were signed between the Department of Public Works and the consultants.

The AG’s Aletta van Tromp, prior to Duda’s presentation, also confirmed that no procurement processes were followed and that they were still trying to establish reasons as to why this historic site was chosen for the construction of a new Legislature Complex. She said there was also no indication that the former minister of Public Works provided approval for the use of the building.

Van Tromp further confirms that they had received documents from the Free State Heritage Council stating their concerns over the use of this heritage site and the poor state in which it has been left.

Discussions over Ramkraal on Wednesday, will come just days after the former Free State Finance MEC Elzabe Rockman testified before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry over the failed Free State’s Vrede Dairy project.

Although she could not clarify how the R220 million that was earmarked to assist merging black farmers was looted from the province, she admitted having had several meetings organised by former Premier Ace Magashule with the Gupta brothers.

Rockman also testified that the Gupta-linked Estina project was a comparatively small project as opposed to accruals worth billions that were faced by other departments such as the Health and Education Departments, which demanded their urgent attention.

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