No sparkling water fills the pools at the Franschhoek High Performance Centre — just shallow wastewater. The Special Investigating Unit is looking into the grant allocation for the project. (Photo: Keanan Hemmonsbey) Situated in the heart of Franschhoek, surrounded by world-renowned wine farms and rolling mountains, is the 176-year-old Franschhoek High School.
Lying in stark contrast to its picturesque surroundings are derelict buildings and half-built swimming pools on the school’s property.
This was supposed to be a state-of-the-art high performance centre, built by Swimming South Africa (SSA). But after a decade in development and millions of rands poured into the project, there is little to show for it.
/file/attachments/orphans/IMG_83882_192449_528557.jpg "A 25m and a 50m pool were to be built for some of the best young swimmers from across the globe at Franschhoek High School. The Franschhoek High Performance Centre was also intended to be a training site for local swimmers to prepare for the Olympic Games. (Photo: Keanan Hemmonsbey)")
Now, after months of denying any investigation into SSA and the funding tied to the Franschhoek High Performance Centre, the country’s national aquatics body has finally acknowledged that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has contacted it over the matter.
The SIU confirmed to Daily Maverick in 2025, and again in March 2026, that there was an active and ongoing investigation into the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) grant allocated to the Franschhoek High Performance Centre.
“The SIU’s investigation into the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) grant to the Franschhoek High Performance Centre remains ongoing,” Ngwako Motsieng, acting spokesperson for the SIU, reconfirmed to Daily Maverick on 30 March.
“The SIU does not investigate individuals or entities, but rather the processes – in this instance, the process that led to the allocation of NLC funding. Through this work, the investigation may identify individuals or entities that potentially benefited improperly.
“At this stage, we are unable to disclose further details, as doing so may compromise the integrity of the investigation.”
Up until last week, SSA consistently denied any knowledge of an investigation.
In a statement released in February, SSA said: “SSA categorically places it on record that Swimming South Africa is not under investigation by the SIU, has never been notified of any investigation and has not been contacted by the SIU or any investigative authority at any time.”
But on 20 May, SSA shifted its position, stating it had been notified for the first time of an investigation only this week when the SIU emailed a request for a meeting.
“Swimming South Africa (SSA) received an email from the SIU (18 May 2026) asking to meet to discuss the Project which was awarded to Swimming South Africa by the NLC during 2023,” Mafata Modutoane, operations manager of SSA, told Daily Maverick via email correspondence.
“Prior to this, neither the SIU nor any other person has communicated with SSA about an investigation into the national lotteries-funded SSA project.”
However, SSA maintained that the project was not under a “forensic review”, despite the SIU’s formal request to meet.
National lotteries grant
The SIU investigation centres on the NLC grant that was awarded for the construction of a World Aquatics-standard high performance centre in Franschhoek.
The total cost of the project was set to be R111-million, with funding coming from various stakeholders.
So far, SSA has received about R50-million in funding, from World Aquatics (about R8.5-million), the NLC (about R35-million) and The Sports Trust (about R6-million).
/file/attachments/orphans/IMG_83712_980659_574429.jpeg "The High Performance Centre in Franschhoek has been ‘under construction’ for years, with very little progress at the Franschhoek High School site. (Photo: Keanan Hemmonsbey)")
The NLC funding, allocated in 2023, was intended to be paid in three tranches.
SSA did confirm that it received funding from the NLC, but claimed that not the whole amount had been received.
In its February statement, SSA rejected any wrongdoing and portrayed itself as being hamstrung by red tape.
The federation blamed delays at the high performance centre on stalled national lotteries funding, saying only one of three tranches had been paid despite work allegedly being verified.
“SSA has on numerous occasions called upon the National Lotteries Commission to release all outstanding grant funding to enable the Franschoek project to be completed, but it declined to do so,” Modutoane told Daily Maverick this week, maintaining SSA’s stance from February.
“Any delay in the completion of the project cannot be attributed to any conduct of SSA, but rather due to payment freezes by the NLC.”
Read more: More questions about High Performance Centre raised as Swimming SA hides behind processes
Daily Maverick approached the NLC for comment, also in March, but the statutory body referred to its statement it previously sent to Daily Maverick in 2025.
“The NLC has already issued a media statement regarding matters referred to the SIU, and as such, it would be premature for the NLC to provide further comment at this stage while the SIU investigation is ongoing,” said Rudzani Tshigemane, marketing and communications manager for the NLC.
This essentially echoes its previous statement, confirming an investigation is under way and that further comment would not be provided until the matter is finalised.
During a press briefing on 13 May, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie confirmed that the NLC funding had been stopped.
“I can assure you that I know of the Franschhoek matter,” said the minister. “Lotto has stopped the funding.”
/file/attachments/orphans/IMG_83932_712819_385648.jpg "One of the derelict pools at the SSA High Performance Centre in Franschhoek, Western Cape. (Photo: Keanan Hemmonsbey)")
‘A mess’
McKenzie also said that the SIU had taken “a keen interest” in the Franschhoek High Performance Centre.
“The SIU is still to come and brief us on how far they are with the investigation, but I’ve also learnt from very good authority that the SIU is investigating that,” said McKenzie.
“It’s a mess,” he added. “I visited the Franschhoek matter. I’m going back there next week so that I can put a rugby pitch so long at Franschhoek as the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
“We are meeting with Sascoc, because the time to take action has arrived.”
Modutoane told Daily Maverick that the minister had yet to engage with SSA.
“Regarding comments made by Minister Gayton McKenzie during his recent press briefing, SSA has, to date, not received any formal communication from the minister’s office regarding a proposed meeting,” said Modutoane.
“Should Minister McKenzie wish to meet with SSA, SSA will of course oblige.”
In the meantime, the abandoned construction site stands as a stark reminder of a project that promised to transform South African swimming, but instead has become mired in delays and an active SIU investigation.
Swimming South Africa is trying to keep its head above water, but the water’s too deep and the current keeps pulling it down. DM