These allegations were made by New Beginnings Project CEO, Patrick Phuti, who claimed the couple were involved in illegal financial transactions during the awarding of the Tweespruit road construction contract. Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae was the MEC for community safety, roads, and transport at the time.

Phuti’s claims surfaced through a leaked message, in which he accused Letsoha-Mathae of terminating his road construction contract unfairly. He claimed he had paid substantial bribes to both the premier and her husband in exchange for securing the contract, including buying a vehicle for the family.

‘Letsoha-Mathae has firmly denied all the accusations’

These allegations have since ignited widespread controversy with opposition parties seizing the opportunity to demand accountability.

Letsoha-Mathae has firmly denied all the accusations. In a public statement, she called on Phuti to formally approach law enforcement agencies and lay charges to substantiate his claims.

She said she had no intention of making any further public comments on this matter, as per the advice of her legal team. A formal letter had meanwhile been sent to Phuti by her lawyers on Friday (11/10). Her legal representatives would handle any further communication.

Letsoha-Mathae reiterated her administration’s commitment to clean governance and said service providers who fail to complete projects as required would not be tolerated.

The EFF in the Free State has, however, officially opened a criminal case against both Letsoha-Mathae and her husband. Provincial Deputy Chairperson Thomas Macingwane declared this was only the beginning of their efforts to root out corruption in the province.

“We have opened a criminal case, and we are now preparing to file a motion of no confidence in the legislature to remove the premier. We’ll also seek to remove the speaker from his position in the Mangaung council.”

Macingwane claimed several prominent ANC leaders in the Free State were involved in corrupt activities. Among them, he accused Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Saki Mokwena of money laundering and embezzling state funds by staying in hotels at inflated costs instead of using the official housing provided by the government.

Meanwhile, the DA in the Free State stated that the current allegations against the couple indicate that the Free State remains fraught with allegations of factional-based corruption and state capture that require investigation by law enforcement agencies. The DA leader in the province, Roy Jankielsohn, said the ANC will never regain its credibility and continues to prove that it is inherently corrupt and divided and will never be able to self-correct.

He added that the department of community safety, roads and transport has many road contracts, involving hundreds of millions of rands requiring multiple contractors and new contracts. Jankielsohn said they would request the Hawks to investigate allegations against Letsoha-Mathae.

The FF Plus Member of the Free State Legislature, Armand Cloete said they will also be requesting the Public Service Commission in the province to launch an investigation into the irregularities in tender processes in the Free State and what role politicians play in the awarding thereof.

“Although the allegations of bribery against the Free State prime minister are serious and must be investigated, the FF Plus is of the opinion that the social media messages serve as proof that the deeper problem of tender corruption in the Free State must be addressed.”

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg