University of Free State Paid R1.5m for Non-Existent Student Accommodation
The University of Free State (UFS) paid R1.5m for student accommodation that did not exist over a period of two years.
Motlatsi Nelson Khalane, 31, received the payments without verifying the existence of the accommodation. The situation was only discovered when UFS conducted a verification process, finding two empty stands instead of the 215 rooms they had paid for.
Allegations are that Khalane, through his company, submitted an application to the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus to provide student accommodation, claiming 215 rooms available.
- The application was approved, and funds were paid into his company’s account between January 2023 and December 2024.
- During verification, the university found the two stands provided in the application were empty with no rooms built.
According to W/O Fikiswa Matoti, spokesperson of the Hawks in Free State, the allegations led to the discovery of the non-existent accommodation.
Author's summary: UFS paid R1.5m for non-existent student accommodation.