In March 2020, President Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster in response to COVID-19. Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille issued a directive for emergency procurement of a 40km border fence at the Beitbridge border crossing with Zimbabwe. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) used COVID emergency powers to bypass competitive bidding.
THE CONTRACTS: On 18-19 March 2020, the DPWI National Bid Adjudication Committee approved two contracts without competitive bidding: Magwa Construction (R37M for construction) and Profteam CC (R3.2M for professional services). Total: approximately R40.2 million. Contractors received advance payments of approximately R21.8 million before substantial work was performed.
THE "WASHING LINE": The fence was erected between March and April 2020. Almost immediately, it began falling apart. Sections collapsed or were easily breached. The structure was so flimsy it earned the nickname "the washing line." It was a potent symbol of COVID-era corruption — taxpayers' money wasted on shoddy work while citizens were locked down and losing livelihoods.
SIU INVESTIGATION: In July 2020, President Ramaphosa authorised an SIU investigation (Proclamation R.23 of 2020). The SIU found the procurement was irregular and that De Lille's advisor, Melissa Whitehead, had acted inappropriately — involving herself in site visits, variation orders, and scope decisions that were outside her role. In 2021, De Lille confirmed the fence was "not fit for purpose" and would not be repaired.
SCA VICTORY: The SIU pursued civil recovery through the Special Tribunal. After years of litigation, the Supreme Court of Appeal delivered a landmark ruling in January 2026, dismissing the contractors' bid to keep their profits. The SCA ruled the contracts were constitutionally invalid due to the abuse of emergency procurement powers. The contractors were entitled only to proven expenses, not profits. The SIU moved to enforce the judgment in February 2026.
Despite the SCA ruling, no criminal charges have been laid against any minister, official, or contractor. The fence remains a symbol of how COVID emergency powers were abused for private enrichment.