According to sources at the upper echelons of the Reitz-based Nketoane Local Municipality, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of retribution, alleges that R15 million was paid to build this stadium but to date remains incomplete. 

The stadium is among several infrastructures in the province which remains incomplete despite costing the taxpayers millions of rands. The project started in 2019 with one consultant and one contractor appointed. 

The incomplete stadium in the Nketoane Local Municipality in the Free State. PHOTO: Supplied

Meanwhile, the Acting Municipal Manager, Kido Nhlapho, told OFM News the project was completed a while ago and the public vandalised the buildings during community unrest and load-shedding. This is common with municipal buildings in that area.

“There are some broken windows, missing taps, and broken doors but this happened long after the contractor left the site and the municipality took possession of the structure.”

The incomplete stadium in the Nketoane Local Municipality in the Free State. PHOTO: Supplied

The Nketoana Local Municipality is a small municipality that receives around R20 million per financial year for projects from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

"This R20 million has to be divided to accommodate all of the municipality's projects and service delivery obligations."

The incomplete stadium in the Nketoane Local Municipality in the Free State. PHOTO: Supplied

Nhlapho, in his reply, indicated that this means the money accommodates roads, water pipelines, sewerage pipelines, community high mass lights, refuse removal trucks, water and sewerage pump stations, and sports facilities.

Nhlapho said the municipality is accountable to the province's department when it comes to planning and allocations of priorities.

"The correct construction value for the stadium was: R11,499,800 (Including VAT) which means approximately R11.5 million.

- Please see the contractor appointment letter attached.

- The amount of R11.5 million includes the costs of skilled and unskilled labour.

- The amount includes the training of local personnel and in-service training for two students within civil engineering and occupational health and safety.

- The amount of R11.5 million is the contractor's appointment amount and excludes the engineering fees which were 15% of the contractor's appointment (as per the guideline by the Engineering Council of South Africa).

“The stadium was completed. The appointed contractor did satisfactory works," Nhlapho added.

However, a source who raised complaints about the incomplete stadium said the information provided by the municipality is far from the truth.

Sources say the three subcontractors insist that the stadium was built at a cost of R15 million.

They allege that the council does know or is aware of this but nothing has been done yet.

The municipality is one of the worst-performing municipalities in the province, according to the Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke. The municipality has received yet another disclaimer audit opinion from the Auditor-General.

This is the sixth consecutive disclaimer of the municipality. In 2016, unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure was R87 million. But according to the latest audited financial statements of 2022, the expenditure is now R1.3 billion.

OFM News