President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the troubled OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape in a bid to recover any financial losses suffered by the state or the municipality.
The signing of Proclamation 172 of 2024 was gazetted following allegations of unlawful and improper conduct at the district municipality between January 1, 2018 and August 16, 2024.
SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said the SIU has also been authorised to recover any financial losses suffered by the state or the municipality in relation to these reported irregularities and maladministration.
Kganyago said the unit will also probe any form of wasteful expenditure incurred by the municipality in respect of certain contracts.
These include the construction of the Signal Hill Reservoir and the appointment of Amatola Water Board in 2019 and an alleged irregular payment made to Amatola in 2020.
It also covers the construction of the Manduli Bulk Water Scheme and the appointment of Ginasonke Engineers and an alleged irregular payment made to Ginasonke in 2019.
Also, the construction of the Mganduli Bulk Water Scheme and the appointment of Khwalo’s Construction and an alleged irregular payment made to Khwalo in 2019.
The supply and installation of a pump at Mhlontlo Cluster 1 and the appointment of Valotone 94 CC and Phoenix Tanks (Pty) Ltd in 2019 and an alleged irregular payment made to the service providers in 2019 wi also be investigated.
The same goes for the electrification of the Mthatha Dam and Highbury, and the construction of the Thornbill Clear Water Pump Station, and the alleged irregularities regarding payment of Amatola for these projects in 2018 and 2019, among many others.
“The scope of the investigation also covers any unlawful or improper conduct by department officials or employees, the applicable suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public.
“Furthermore, the investigation will also establish whether there was any unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money,” Kganyago said.
In addition to all of these aspects of the probe, the SIU will also probe financial misconduct while assessing systemic failures, he said.
“In addition to examining financial misconduct, the SIU will also seek to identify and address systemic failures within the municipality that may have allowed these irregularities to occur.
“This could lead to recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences of similar issues,” he said.
The Star