Gauteng MEC on mission to catch the R1 million thief

In 2023 a senior official known by SABC Sport, misappropriated funds intended for development, for personal gain. Mosupyoe instigated an investigation into the incident and ensured that all parties would face the consequences.

She firmly believes this senior official did not act alone in embezzling the funds and is determined to hold all the accomplices accountable for their actions. The tough-talking politician refrained from disclosing the alleged thief’s name, citing ongoing legal procedures.

Mosupyoe explained the delay in resolving the matter stemmed from the absence of formalized legal proceedings. She pledged to address this procedural issue promptly to prevent any potential criminal liability.

"What I discovered was there was a process that was put in place to find the person, but the only thing that was not done was to get the legal process or criminal justice side of it into action. That is what we have done now”, she told SABC Sport.

“We know the person, who they are, the reason they gave for doing what they did. This constitutes a fraudulent act where an individual attempted to deceive and unlawfully appropriate funds. What we then was to institute the investigation process formally, because if you don't do it formally it's not going to go anywhere,” she argued. 

Mosupyoe declined to provide a specific timeline for the resolution of the matter. She took over as the head of sports in the province in June 2022, succeeding Mbali Hlophe. Mosupyoe explains it was only two months into her appointment that she become aware of the embezzled amount, as she was waiting for a comprehensive briefing from her department.

Although the investigation is taking longer than anticipated, Mosupyoe appeals for patience, emphasizing the importance of allowing the legal process to unfold fully. 

"I don't want to lie to anybody or raise anybody's hopes that it's something that's going to be resolved by the end of this year. It was in the making for a very long time. So, it must be properly investigated. 

"And should we find that some of the people within the department were involved, sorry they'll have to answer for what they did. [But] I don't like to preempt such matters, anything can happen.

"The worry I had when I got into the department was that the investigation was not properly formalised, so for you to get something resolved you've got to follow proper processes. So, it has been formalised, how long it'll take, I don't know."

Mosupyoe stated unequivocally she will take a stern stand against corruption within the department and take decisive action. She expressed concern that the department’s development initiatives were being hindered by the selfish actions of certain officials driven by greed.

Furthermore, confessed she is currently dealing with other comparable issues within her department and highlighted her unrelenting determination to eradicate corruption entirely.