Speaker of the Limpopo Legislature, Dr. Makoma Makhurupetje placed the Secretary, Dr. Timothy Maake, on precautionary suspension.
The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo has officially welcomed the decision by the Speaker of the Limpopo Legislature, Dr. Makoma Makhurupetji, to place the Secretary, Dr. Timothy Maake, on precautionary suspension.
This suspension, which is set to last until 31 July 2026, marks a significant development in what has been a brief and highly controversial tenure for Dr. Maake.
While the opposition party views this as a long-overdue step, they maintain that it is merely the starting point for uncovering the true extent of the irregularities that have plagued the institution during his time in office.
The move to suspend the Secretary follows a series of damning allegations that have surfaced regarding his conduct and the management of legislative funds. Among the most shocking revelations is a report of vanity expenditure totalling R1.8 million. This massive sum was reportedly spent on the repeated rebooking of flight tickets to Gambia simply because the Secretary’s academic title was not correctly reflected on the original bookings.
Additionally, the legislature has been rocked by an alleged procurement scandal involving a payment of R12.5 million to a law firm known as Talane and Associates. Investigations have suggested that this firm has direct family ties to the nephew of Dr. Maake, raising serious questions about conflict of interest and the misuse of public money.
The DA caucus has been vocal about these issues since November 2025, when they first signalled their intention to push for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the legislature.
Their concerns were sparked by the 2025/2026 Quarter 1 Report, which contained several alarming findings from the Auditor General. One primary concern was that the financial statements submitted for auditing were not prepared according to standard accounting practices and lacked the necessary records to support them.
Furthermore, the Auditor General flagged the purchase of a luxury vehicle for the Speaker, Makoma Makhurupetje, which cost over R1 million. This purchase was identified as a major contributor to the poor audit performance of the legislature. Although the Speaker informed the Oversight Committee that she did not personally request the vehicle, the committee resolved on 8 October 2025 that she must provide clear timelines for an investigation report.
The performance of the legislature has also been lacklustre, achieving only 39 out of 58 performance targets, which translates to a success rate of just 68 percent.
Given the alleged involvement of both the Speaker and the Secretary, the DA argues that a simple in-house investigation will not be enough to find the truth. Because the Speaker has previously blocked motions in the House and repeatedly delayed the tabling of discussions, the DA is now calling on the Chair of Chairs, Thabo Mokone, and the Whippery to take urgent action. The party is demanding the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee with a clear mandate to investigate several specific areas.
These demands include a full investigation into the purchase and the alleged subsequent sale of the Speaker’s vehicle. The proposed committee would also be tasked with probing all reported cases of irregular and wasteful expenditure, including the R1.8 million spent on cancelled flights and the R12.5 million payment to Talane and Associates. Beyond these specific incidents, the committee is expected to examine the failures in internal controls, accountability, and management of consequences within the institution. Finally, the DA insists that all findings and recommendations must be tabled before the House with strict timelines for implementation.
The Democratic Alliance has made it clear that they will not sit back while a historically shifty official attempts to avoid responsibility. They believe that Dr. Maake allegedly colluded with other office bearers within the legislature, and they are determined to ensure that he does not escape accountability again.
For the opposition, this is a matter of ensuring that the public’s money is managed with transparency and integrity, and they remain committed to exposing any actions that undermine the mandate of the Limpopo Legislature. The coming month of suspension will be a critical period as the pressure mounts for a transparent and thorough independent investigation into these deep-seated problems.