North West Ex-Official Charged with Mismanagement of Public Funds

NORTH WEST – Obakeng Eden Mongale, the 52-year-old former head of the Department of Public Works in North West, made a court appearance at the Mahikeng Magistrates’ Court on allegations of financial misconduct linked to a major tender process.

According to South African Police Service, Mongale presented himself to authorities on the morning of November 2, 2023. Allegations against him stem from an incident in 2008, where he is accused of improperly awarding a tender exceeding R470 million to IIima Projects and Tsoga Developers for the construction of Brits hospital. The Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit concluded that the awarded companies did not satisfy the requisite tender conditions.

Further details emerged that by 2010, Ilima Projects entered provisional liquidation, prompting the cancellation of the contract. This led to the appointment of another company to finalize the hospital’s construction. At the point of termination, the department had already disbursed over R57 million. The succeeding contractor encountered the need for significant remedial work, incurring costs upward of R4 million — actions that resulted in further delays and additional expenses amounting to what is characterized as wasteful expenditure.

Mongale has been granted bail set at R50,000 and is mandated to surrender his passport to the investigation officer, with strict instructions to avoid any contact with state witnesses and to remain within the province unless he provides prior notification to the investigating officer. The case is adjourned until January 31, 2024, to allow for extended investigation.

Major General Patrick Mbotho, the Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in the North West, together with Dr. Rachel Makhari, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the region, expressed commendation for the investigative and prosecutorial teams’ joint efforts in bringing the accused to account.