The mayor of the Stellenbosch Local Municipality has been referred to the Special Investigating Unit after a provincial audit raised serious concerns about the procurement process followed in a multi-million rand housing development tender. The referral comes after an internal investigation by the municipality's audit committee found evidence of procedural irregularities that it concluded could not be satisfactorily resolved internally.
The housing project in question involves a development earmarked for low-income beneficiaries in the Stellenbosch municipal area. According to the audit findings, the tender process did not comply fully with the Municipal Finance Management Act and applicable supply chain management regulations, raising questions about whether the outcome of the competitive process was materially influenced by factors outside the scoring criteria.
The mayor has strenuously denied any personal wrongdoing, stating through legal representatives that all decisions related to the tender were made collectively by the municipal council and that proper processes were followed. The mayor's legal team has indicated that the referral to the SIU is being contested and that the audit findings are disputed.
The Western Cape provincial government has indicated that it is monitoring the situation closely and that it retains the authority to intervene in local municipalities where governance failures are identified. Premier Alan Winde's administration has emphasised zero tolerance for procurement irregularities in any municipality, regardless of party affiliation.
The case has added to growing public frustration about housing delivery failures in the Stellenbosch area, where thousands of families remain on waiting lists that stretch back over a decade. Community activists have called for full transparency about the project and for any contracts found to be irregular to be cancelled and re-tendered.
