Chief in R11m Youth training scandal
image: Internet
by Kelebogile Matlou
Chief Edward Moefi Mabalane, a respected traditional leader and businessman in Mabaalstad, is facing corruption charges after Medirwe Investments failed to deliver an R11.1 million National Skills Fund project aimed at training over 1,000 unemployed youths in agriculture in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. The plan, begun in 2024, failed, leaving communities without promised skills or chances, while cash were allegedly misappropriated for luxury spending.
The Department of Higher Education and Training confirmed that it tried multiple times between October 2024 and February 2025 to recover the monies or negotiate a repayment plan. After no progress, the case was moved to the State Attorney in March. A fraud and corruption report had previously been filed in December 2024 and forwarded to the Hawks, but Mabalane claims he has not been contacted formally by investigators.
The debate has enraged rural communities, where unemployment and poverty remain high, with many seeing the project’s demise as yet another squandered opportunity for development. The issue also adds to the National Skills Fund’s expanding litany of financial problems, with billions of dollars unaccounted for across the country.
Expenditure data related to Medirwe Investments reveal suspicious spending, including:
- R56,000 at a Bryanston club
- R100,000 at a Rosebank restaurant
- R200,000 at Louis Vuitton in Sandton
- R180,000 on an engagement ring
For Mabalane, the matter jeopardizes his leadership credibility, public image, and community status. Meanwhile, the biggest losers are the unemployed young people of Moses Kotane, who are still waiting for training and prospects that never came.
