MEC MAILE ORDERS PROBE ON GPF LOANS
Johannesburg:MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development in the Gauteng Province Lebogang Maile notes with concern the News24 story with the headline “The R37m Waterfall mansion, his son-in-law and a Gauteng govt housing loan”, widely published on Wednesday .
News24 alleges that the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF), a Gauteng government entity, under Human Settlements, offered excessive loans spanning more than a decade to Nonkwelo Investments. The mentioned
loans allegedly total more than R30 million between the years 2013 –2017. According to the article these loans were meant to develop a property in Johannesburg, for student accommodation.
MEC Maile has fittingly ordered the Board of Directors of the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) to undertake an urgent investigation in this regard. The Board has been requested to furnish MEC Maile with the report on this matter within 30 days.
The Board has a fiduciary duty to exercise oversight and enhance the integrity of the entity, including investigating any accusations of corruption and maladministration.
According to MEC Maile “As a public office-bearer I have a duty to protect public funds from any form of wrong-doing or abuse. We cannot keep quite on accusations of this nature. Nothing will be swept under the
carpet. No single entity will be a playground for the powerful, well connected or anyone for that matter”. He continued “my conscience dictates that I uphold the oath of office and do the right thing. We have ordered the Board to probe the matter”, said MEC Maile
The Gauteng government remains committed to fighting corruption in line with its electoral mandate and successive manifesto commitments.
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