Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has formally rejected claims that her department failed to address financial mismanagement involving bus subsidies. The rebuttal follows sustained pressure from the Democratic Alliance, which has accused the provincial government of neglecting to hold officials accountable for irregular expenditure during the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 financial years.
Investigation And Legal Challenges
The controversy stems from a forensic report authored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which recommended criminal action against a former Head of Department for financial misconduct. In August 2025, the Democratic Alliance confirmed that it had laid formal criminal charges against the former official regarding the alleged unauthorized and irregular payment of subsidies.
Despite these allegations, the Department of Roads and Logistics has faced criticism for stalling transparency efforts. Reports from July 2026 indicate that the department has refused to release an unredacted copy of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report to the Information Regulator, a move the opposition claims is designed to shield those involved in the scandal.
Community And Financial Impact
The mismanagement of bus subsidies has had far-reaching consequences for public transport users across the province. In May 2023, MEC Diale-Tlabela and the Gauteng Premier were forced to hold emergency meetings with PUTCO to resolve widespread service disruptions caused by the department’s failure to settle outstanding subsidy payments.
These financial irregularities represent millions of rand in potential fruitless and wasteful expenditure that could have supported essential transport services. As legal proceedings continue, the provincial government remains under scrutiny regarding its commitment to financial accountability and the disclosure of information necessary for thorough investigations.
The department is expected to face further questioning in the provincial legislature regarding the ongoing refusal to hand over the unredacted forensic report.