President Jacob Zuma has ordered the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate supply chain related concerns in a number of government departments, the Presidency announced on Thursday. It said the affected departments were the Department of Health in Gauteng, Human Settlements, Department of Arts and Culture, Department of Education in the Eastern Cape, Department of Public Works, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the South African Police Service.
The Presidency said while Zuma was not pre-judging the investigations, the announcement was "a clear indication" of the President and Cabinet's stated resolve to combat corruption, mismanagement and maladministration at all levels of Government and the public service. "The SIU has started detailed investigations into these matters, and is treating them as ones of extremely high priority. Each investigation will be staffed by a substantial team of forensic investigators, lawyers, accountants and analysts," it said.
In each case, the relevant ministries and departments were cooperating fully with the investigations, and will continue to do so going forward as they want solutions. Some ministers have requested the President to assist them towards eradicating corruption and maladministration in their departments. Zuma wants the SIU to probe, among other things, the under-spending or misspending of the Department of Arts' budget in respect of the amounts voted for the purpose of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Projects for 2007, 2008 and 2009 financial years.
The failure by officials of the department to ensure that transfers and subsidies to beneficiaries in terms of the Department's Arts and Culture in Society Programme, the 2010 FIFA World Cup projects, the investing in culture programme and the cultural development programme were applied for their intended purposes. Minister Lulu Xingwana has already taken disciplinary action against a number of departmental staff. A special focus for the SIU will be the recovery of funds, as well as ensuring proper accountability for any irregular expenditure that may be found.
The unit will also need to establish if there were any irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the department in respect of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Projects, the Investing and Culture Programme and the Cultural Development Programme. The Department of Public Works investigation will be one of the biggest ever launched by the SIU, and will focus primarily on procurement within the department - including the assessment of numerous leases negotiated by the department for and on behalf of client departments, some of which involve significant amounts. "The investigation originates in a request from the Minister of Public Works that the SIU assist in addressing serious concerns he had regarding procurement processes in the Department. Extract from the Department of Public Works Proclamation which can be found in full in Government Gazette of 30 July 2010 No 33425," the Presidency said.
The investigators will also look on procurement of goods or services by or on behalf of the Eastern Cape Department of Education and payments made in respect thereof while procurement procedures will be investigated within the South African Police Service.
The Presidency said the SIU intervention in the SAPS originates from a referral by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) and has received the full support of the National Commissioner of Police, who is committed to ensuring that procurement within the SAPS is undertaken in a clear and transparent manner and in accordance with the necessary Supply Chain Management prescripts. The SIU has been working with the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) for several years to investigate a number of issues, especially irregularities pertaining to social grants. The probes are conducted on, among others, unlawful and illegal payment and/or receipts of social grants or benefits in respect of deceased and/or fictitious persons.
Source: All Africa
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