Mkhwebane visited the community near Brits in North West yesterday regarding her probe into the so-called “D account”. The account, into which mining companies pay royalties for communities on whose ancestral land they mine, had once accumulated R617 million, but currently has less than R1 million.

Mkhwabane’s spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, says she told the community what caused the delay in the release of the report by the former Public Protector. She has given parties implicated in the report 14 days to respond her findings.  

Segalwe says although the community’s mining royalties are suspected to have been systematically looted, the investigation also includes the alleged misuse of resources relating to the construction of Chief Kgosi Edward Mogale's palace, as well as the misuse of these royalties.  

In 2012, the community asked former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate allegations of systematic looting of the collective resources of the community. In October last year Madonsela said her office had already identified individuals and companies to whom payments were made from the communal funds.

Katleho Morapela/OFM News