Polokwane Mayor and Municipal Manager accused of awarding R56 Million tender to Manager’s Zimbabwean boyfriend

Mathipa Phishego

A major corruption scandal has erupted in the Polokwane Municipality, casting a dark shadow over the Limpopo political landscape. Executive Mayor John Mpe and Municipal Manager Thuso Nemungumoni are at the centre of a storm. Following allegations that they improperly awarded a R56.3 million tender to a company linked to Nemungumoni’s romantic partner, a Zimbabwean national.The infrastructure contract issued during the 2023 fiscal year, was reportedly granted to Saatchi Civil Engineering, a company owned by the foreign national who is not only Nemungumoni’s boyfriend but also reportedly a close associate of Mayor Mpe. The tender process, sources claim bypassed competitive bidding procedures, triggering serious concerns around corruption, nepotism, and the questionable influence of foreign nationals within South African local governance.

The deal has sparked public outrage and intensified scrutiny of the municipality’s procurement practices. “When we said Zimbabweans were running the city of Polokwane, you said otherwise,” wrote activist Thapelo Molepo in a widely shared Facebook post, pointing to this case as part of a larger, systemic issue.A leaked list of tender recipients for the 2022/2023 financial year is now circulating on social media, allegedly showing a pattern of contracts being awarded to politically connected individuals and businesses linked to foreign nationals. While the full list has yet to be authenticated, it has fuelled public speculation and calls for a forensic audit into the municipality’s financial dealings.Prominent local commentator Kwenisto Mokgakga has also weighed in, writing on Facebook: “Polokwane is run by foreign nationals,” and alleging that the Municipal Manager is building a luxury home valued at R20 million in Euphoria, one of Polokwane’s suburbs.The allegations come at a time when public trust in local government is already strained. Particularly around service delivery and transparency. Neither Mayor Mpe nor Manager Nemungumoni has issued an official statement in response to the claims, but pressure is mounting for both to step aside pending an independent investigation.Political observers suggest the unfolding scandal could have far-reaching implications ahead of the next municipal elections, especially if further links between officials and tender beneficiaries are confirmed.As outrage builds and more details emerge, the people of Polokwane and South Africans more broadly are left asking whether accountability will prevail in a system that has repeatedly been accused of protecting the powerful at the expense of public interest.