19
Paved with gold
No chronicle of Ace Magashule’s contentious career as premier of the
Free State would be complete without mentioning the province’s
Department of Police, Roads and Transport (DPRT). A host of sources
ranging from former and current top provincial officials to department
insiders claim that the DPRT was at the centre of Magashule’s alleged
capture scheme.
Like the Department of Human Settlements and its R 1 -billion housing
debacle, the DPRT became embroiled in a massive scandal almost
immediately after Magashule took office in 2009. In 2010 , the
department dished out contracts to a value of about R 4 billion for the
rehabilitation of twenty-three roads in the province.^1 There was at least
one Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)–listed construction giant
among the lucky contractors. According to sources familiar with the
matter, some of the usual Free State businesspeople linked to the
premier also got in on the action. National Treasury eventually got
wind of the deal and, after an investigation, found that the DPRT had
made ‘illegal and unfunded contractual commitments’ to the
construction companies.^2 In an early blow to the new premier, the
DPRT was placed under administration by national government as a
result of the Treasury investigation.^3 One source who had been privy to
the probe told me that investigators had identified apparent kickbacks
paid to government officials by some of the contractors. He said the
matter had been referred to the Hawks, but the case somehow died an
early death.