The Boipatong Monument and Youth Centre, built with more than R35 million and billed as a site of remembrance for the 1992 massacre, remains poorly maintained and non-operational in 2024, despite over R12 million spent on operational costs between 2017 and 2022, according to figures published by The Citizen and confirmed by the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation. Survivors and families of those killed say they feel ignored, while fresh controversy surrounds the department’s recent payment of R94,300 to hire the monument from itself for the June 2024 commemoration event.

Funding Details And Questions Over Expenditure

The Boipatong Monument and Youth Centre was completed in 2015 at a cost of R35,199,212, after the initial budget of R32,572,833 was increased, with the intention of serving as both a memorial and a community resource. However, operational challenges quickly followed. Between 2017 and 2022, the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation reportedly spent over R12 million on operational costs, yet the facility remains largely inaccessible and non-functional, The Citizen reported.

In June 2024, the department paid R449,618 to Mahloko Makhetha Trading and Projects for the annual massacre commemoration, including R94,300 listed as a venue hire fee for the Boipatong Monument. The Sedibeng District Municipality’s municipal manager, Motsumi Mathe, told The Star the facility was not rented out to any external party on the date in question, and no rental fee should have been paid because the municipality hosted the event. Kingsol Chabalala, DA’s Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, described the department’s payment of rent to itself as “unacceptable and suspicious.”

Survivor Testimony And Ongoing Frustrations

Survivors and their families say neglect of the memorial extends beyond financial mismanagement. In September 2023, victims’ relatives told SABC News that the site, established in 2014, had not been maintained and their input was frequently disregarded by officials. Zamile Latha, a survivor of the massacre, said, “The monument is not fully functional. It is not working. They come and promise us the stipends. So, no one is responsible for it or for what is happening there. It is us who volunteer.”

The Sedibeng District Municipality confirmed it had secured funding for the 2023 commemoration, but said it was awaiting a new date from the community and provincial department. Spokesman Saviour Kgaswane said the municipality remained committed once a new date was set. Despite substantial investment, survivors argue the memorial is failing to fulfil its promise as a site of dignity, support, and collective memory for the Boipatong community.

Further clarity over recent expenditure is expected as community leaders continue discussions with the Sedibeng District Municipality and the Gauteng department on the future of the monument and upcoming commemorative events.