The government spent R28 million on 90 pothole repair machines without fixing a single pothole

The Department of Defence spent R27.79 million on 90 machines to repair potholes in 2021. As of July 2026, not a single pothole has been repaired by the machines. 

This was revealed by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga in a response to a parliamentary question about the department’s financial mismanagement. 

Motshekga said the department is unaware of the machines ever being used in any capacity, despite their high cost. 

This is only one example of the department spending millions on equipment for it to never used and, in some cases, is lost. 

The Auditor-General (AG) pointed out many incidents in a briefing to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence after an analysis of the department’s asset register. 

It told the committee that the department’s inability to verify weapons and equipment is a serious concern that poses significant security risks for South Africa. 

The AG said the department was unable to ensure accurate and complete reporting for most asset classes in its annual financial statements. 

Simply put, the department does not know what weapons and equipment it has, how much is in storage and what condition they are in. 

The AG received the department’s asset register in January 2026, but could not find the physical assets at the locations provided by the department. 

It told Parliament that the department could not indicate where the items were located or provide information to prove their existence. 

The AG compared the asset register with the department’s balance sheet in the department’s annual financial statements for the 2025 financial year. 

It found a difference between the values of the department’s assets in the two documents of R3.98 billion. Of the assets the AG could find, many were unserviceable. 

The department has shifted the blame for this to the national government, saying that its budget is insufficient to maintain its weapons and equipment. 

Motshekga told Parliament that the department needs R9 billion from the treasury to meet its obligations and service its vehicles. 

The minister did admit that the department exceeded its employee compensation budget by R3.7 billion in the past financial year. 

This is the main driver behind its stubborn shortfall, along with R10 billion in irregular expenditure. Overall, the department exceeded its budget by R12 billion. 

Over the past eight years, it has accumulated an irregular expenditure bill of R22 billion, which it says is due to the underfunding of the defence force. 

R28 million for machines that were never used

The department spending R27.79 million on 90 pothole repair machines is one of the clearest examples of how it has mismanaged its finances. 

Purchased in 2021, the machines were intended ot be used as part of a pothole repair project to benefit army veterans and general service delivery. 

“There has been no implementation of the pothole repair project ever since the 90 roller machines were procured,” Motshekga said. 

“This is because there is no visible project implementation plan that would have informed the procurement process. The procurement value for the machines was R27.79 million.” 

Motshekga explained that there is no evidence in the department’s records of there being a pothole repair programme or training related to the machines. 

The matter has been referred to the Special Investigating Unit for investigation and the recovery of funds, while the machines remain idle. 

There have been claims that the machines have been illegally rented out by defence officers for their own personal gain. 

These officers are accused of using the machines for their own benefit and of renting them out to ordinary citizens for personal gain. 

Motshekga denied these allegations, saying the department is unaware of the machines being used by anyone. She said the department will investigate any allegations it receives. 

The department’s asset register indicates that the machines are still intact and serviceable, with them being kept in storage. 

Deputy Minister of Defence, Batnu Holomisa, has called for an independent task team to investigate the AG’s findings on missing equipment. 

He also called for the task team to investigate governance failures that allowed R27.79 million to be spent on machines without a plan for their use. 

“Findings presented were not new. Rather, they reflected a repetition of many of the concerns that have been raised over several years,” Holomisa said. 

“The presentation from the AG confirmed that many of the department’s challenges remain unresolved despite repeated assurances, interventions and oversight engagements.”