Allegations of corruption involving Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and her husband, Mangaung metro Speaker Lawrence Mathae, have surfaced following the termination of a multimillion-rand road tender. The scandal, which has drawn the attention of the Hawks, centres around a contract awarded to Patrick Phuti’s New Beginning company and a series of explosive WhatsApp messages detailing alleged bribes.
The controversy erupted after the Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport terminated the road contract, awarded last year when Letsoha-Mathae served as MEC for Public Works and Roads. Following the termination, WhatsApp messages emerged, allegedly from Phuti, accusing the couple of accepting a Mercedes-Benz V300d and a BMW 7 Series as bribes.
In the messages, Phuti details numerous transactions he claims to have made on behalf of the Mathaes, including payments for events and transportation related to the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) conference.
One message reads: "After so many transactions I made for the Mathae family all of a sudden, I was terminated from the project, which benefited you and your husband. I have paid invoices and transported people that went with you to the ANCWL conference. I bought a car for the Mathae family, V300 Class black, to be specific. I paid over R400 000 for your event when you were launching the same project, but today it’s like nothing ever happened."
Phuti further alleges that he spent R2 million in cash to support Mathae’s campaign for a position within the ANCWL, a position she secured in June 2023. He claims this money was used to pay for taxis transporting delegates to the conference, including a R1 million cash delivery to the Southern Sun hotel. He also claims he was unfairly terminated from the contract, barely six months into its 36-month duration.
“I have lost a lot of money to this project doing transactions for you, premier. And I heard that I must be fired from the project; I don’t know whether it was because I couldn’t fulfil my promises to you 100% or what? Or is it because I had not paid more than the company?” the message reads.
Following the contract termination, Phuti reportedly repossessed the two vehicles, which sources say were regularly driven by Lawrence Mathae. The Free State government, however, issued a statement suggesting Phuti’s company breached the contract, citing clause 9.2.1.3.4 of the 2015 general conditions of contract, which allows for termination if the contractor fails to proceed with the works according to the approved programme.
The termination letter states: “The contractor is hereby informed that it is in breach of the contract in terms of clause 9.2.1.3.4 of the general conditions of contract, 2015 which states that the employer may terminate the contract if the “contractor has failed to proceed with the works in accordance with the approved programme, or in the absence of an approved programme, [sic] in the employer’s opinion.”
Phuti, however, disputes this claim, stating that the project's three-year timeframe made completion within six months impossible and that he intends to challenge the termination in court.
Speaking to City Press, Phuti confirmed the purchase and subsequent repossession of the vehicles, stating: “There was no point in leaving the cars when the contract was prematurely terminated. I won that tender fairly,”
In response to the allegations, the Free State government released a statement in which Premier Letsoha-Mathae categorically denied the accusations, stating: "The premier wishes to categorically distance herself from these malicious and unfounded allegations levelled against her and implores the individual or individuals from the said establishment to approach law enforcement agencies to lay charges in support of his allegations."
The statement further indicated that her legal team had contacted Phuti's company and that all future communication would be handled through her lawyers.
Lawrence Mathae also issued a statement dismissing the allegations as baseless and indicating he was consulting with legal counsel. The Hawks have reportedly contacted both Mathaes for questioning, adding another layer of complexity to this unfolding scandal.
The EFF in the Free State has announced its intention to pursue a corruption case against the couple, further intensifying the pressure on the Free State's top political figures. The situation remains highly volatile, with the potential for significant political repercussions.
