Parliament, Monday, 9 March 2026 – The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) will this week question the OR Tambo District Municipality and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCM) over the 2025/26 audit findings, investigations and delayed infrastructure projects.
The meetings follow SCOPA’s week-long oversight visit to the two municipalities in March 2025 and an update by the Auditor-General (AG) and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on the latest audit outcomes and investigations.
On Tuesday, 10 March 2026, the OR Tambo District Municipality will appear before SCOPA. Among the key issues highlighted by the AG are an unauthorised expenditure of R547.27 million due to overspending; fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R5.44 million, mainly caused by interest payments; and 17 delayed infrastructure projects, up from 10 the previous year.
The delayed infrastructure projects include:
- The Ntsonyini Dam project, intended to provide water to communities in Nyandeni and Port St Johns, has been delayed for years. As a result, about 17 900 residents are still waiting for reliable water services.
- The Thornhill Water Treatment Works upgrade, valued at R96.81 million, is also significantly behind schedule. The project was meant to be completed in June 2025 but is currently only 44% complete.
Investigations by the SIU have also uncovered irregularities linked to procurement and project management in the municipality. The SIU has made 14 criminal referrals related to procurement and project management. It also identified evidence that could enable the state to recover about R54.1 million through the Special Tribunal.
On Wednesday, 11 March 2026, the BCM will appear before SCOPA. The AG found that the BCM budgeted only 1% for maintenance, which is far below the recommended norm of 8%. Infrastructure maintenance is important considering the electricity losses of 32%, amounting to R831.43 million and water losses of 41%, costing the municipality R187.49 million, as reported by the AG.
According to the AG, 12 out of the municipality’s 15 wastewater treatment works are not operational, resulting in untreated wastewater flowing into rivers and creating serious environmental and public health risks. Investigations by the SIU have already led to several referrals for possible criminal and disciplinary action.
These include:
- 6 criminal referrals to the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority.
- 10 disciplinary referrals against municipal officials.
However, disciplinary proceedings have stalled after some implicated officials approached the courts. The SIU has also reported difficulties obtaining cooperation from municipal officials, including delays in providing documents and information needed for investigations.
Despite promising SCOPA the Ernst and Young forensic report, the BCM still has not furnished the committee with the report. The committee has now requested and received the report directly from Ernst and Young and will discuss it with BCM. The SIU also needed the report to apply for a proclamation but was told that it will be shared with them once it has been finalised. The SIU has still not received the report.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, MR SONGEZO ZIBI.
For media enquiries, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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