The Mpumalanga government is paying twice, or almost four times, as much for a statue of Nelson Mandela than it should.
This is according to a failed bidder for the project and two sculptors in the province.
The statue, which is being funded by the province's department of sport, art and recreation, costs just over R8m.
A spokesperson for the department, Sibongile Nkosi, said "correct procedures" had been followed in granting the contract. Nkosi confirmed the statue would cost R8.3m.
The contract was awarded to Mideast Investment, whose sole director is 25-year-old Mishkah Theron, who did not respond to questions sent to her.
The company commissioned The Loop Art Foundry & Sculpture Gallery Company in White River to make the statue. The statue will mark Mandela's centenary.
One of the failed bidders, Mario Bruno, questioned the price. He said he had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the premier, Refilwe Mtshweni, calling on them to investigate. Bruno said a statue of that size should cost between R1.9m to R2.1m.
"Our bid was R2.78m all inclusive. To make that statue is R900,000 and you add transportation and hiring of crane and that adds up to R2.1m maximum," he said.
He said he was not voicing his criticism because he had lost the bid. He was "protecting the country's purse".
He said the statue is being moulded a few kilometres from where it was to be erected.
"The winning company is using the same foundry I was going to use to do the same work. They got the same quotations from the same company, nothing more," he said.The Sunday Times has seen a copy of a document showing that Mideast Investment had been awarded a contract "to design and erect a statue of tata Nelson Mandela, at an amount of R8.364m".
The Loop Art Foundry & Sculpture Gallery referred the Sunday Times to Mideast Investment for comment.
Two local sculptors agreed that the price tag was a steep one.
Sculptor Helena Vogelzang called it brazen and ridiculous.
"Mandela should be honoured, this is brazen. I am currently doing a 5m statue for an overseas client which is far less than this amount," said Vogelzang.
She said such a statue should cost in the region of R3m to R4m.
Another sculptor, who asked not to be named, said the price was steep.
"I've done statues of that size and the price will be between R3.1m and R4m," said the sculptor.
Mpumalanga premier spokesperson Zibonele Mncwango said they were finalising an internal investigation into the matter...