Minister linked to 'unlawful' airport tender

Wind ripped through ongoing renovations at Moshoeshoe International Airport on New Year’s Eve, tearing off sections of newly installed roofing and laying bare not only the building’s structure but also the controversy surrounding a refurbishment tender award already condemned as unlawful. According to GroundUp, the damage occurred months after three parliamentary committees recommended that the M184m ($11.2m) contract be cancelled, citing ‘mis-procurement’, conflicts of interest and non-compliance with the law. Those recommendations were ignored by both Parliament and the Ministry of Public Works & Transport. The committees’ branded the contract as unlawful and politically motivated. Public Works & Transport Minister Matjato Moteane confirmed that about 30% of the new roofing sheets had been damaged and would need to be replaced by the contractor. He insisted, however, that the project would still meet its July 2026 completion deadline. In May 2025, the Public Accounts Committee, together with the Portfolio Committee on the Natural Resources, Tourism & Land Cluster, and the Committee of Chairpersons, investigated the airport refurbishment contract, which was awarded to LSP Construction. The committees found that LSP is linked to companies directly associated with Moteane. A central finding of the investigation was LSP’s lack of technical capacity. The committees’ report places Moteane’s personal and professional history at the centre of the conflict-of-interest concerns. The committees also found evidence of continued business links. The timing of Moteane’s resignation from the company raised further concerns. While Moteane told the committees that a two-year cooling-off period had been agreed upon, it was concluded that his involvement violated the Public Procurement Act, which requires public officials to avoid even the ‘appearance of a conflict of interest’.