Pretoria - The Capricorn District Municipality in Limpopo has incurred the fury of the public and other interested parties for leaving a R22 million tourism hub in ruins 16 years after it was completed.
The Motumo Trading Post on the N1 in Botlokwa between Polokwane and Makhado was meant to be a platform for local tourism entrepreneurs to showcase their products and sell to visitors and tourists along the freeway leading to Mopani and Vhembe.
The facility was also meant to provide accommodation for those travelling along the route.
It was conceptualised by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism between 2003 and 2006, and handed over to the district municipality in 2009 to operate and maintain.
However, the building that has no water and no electricity connection also suffered fire damage and vandalism by arsonists. The DA in the municipality has slammed the municipality for leaving the facility to ruins calling it a “white elephant”.
In a statement, DA councillor Tiny Chidi said the party would be asking the public protector to investigate the project since its inception.
Chidi said: “The municipality took a resolution to seek potential strategic partners to assist in reviving the site so that it becomes usable to the community and assist in bringing economic growth and much-needed jobs. It has injected a further R1 401 693.63 into the rehabilitation of the trading post, including R401 693.63 for electricity reconnection. However, during an oversight (visit) no visible evidence of electricity was found.”
Speaking to Pretoria News, department spokesperson Susan de Bruin said they were aware of the project and had referred questions to the municipality.
“The municipality which takes over the project on completion has the responsibility for its operations and upkeep,” she said.
The municipality refuted some of the allegations made by the DA, with Moffat Senyatsi saying: “The R22m price tag is a calculated omission to imply that the alleged amount was spent by the municipality, when it was actually spent by the ministry on the construction of the facility.
”The facility is also not a heritage site as the DA incorrectly believes.”
Pretoria News