Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, has issued a directive to all Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) accounting officers and affected water boards to provide full support to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) work, while ensuring that all cases are concluded as a matter of urgency.
This follows a briefing by the SIU to the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation on cases they are investigating in relation to the department and some of the water boards.
The Minister has expressed outrage that one of the affected water boards, Lepelle Northern Water (LNW), used State resources to delay and frustrate the SIU in the conduct of its investigation.
“It is unacceptable that the President can authorise an investigation and the same people being investigated can use State money to obstruct the investigation. I have issued a directive that all water boards can never use State funds to delay any investigation,” Sisulu said on Wednesday.
The Minister earlier this year met with the chairpersons of all water boards to make it clear that fighting corruption and nepotism must be a leading priority of all boards.
Sisulu is also monitoring all investigations by the SIU and other law enforcement agencies.
“I expect the Acting Director-General of Water and Sanitation to take action against all officials implicated. For us to fight and win the scourge of corruption, we need to cultivate a culture of consequence management and see it implemented,” Sisulu said.
SIU urged to improve turnaround time
Meanwhile, the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation has urged the SIU to improve the turnaround time in concluding investigations on proclamations made on the department.
While the committee acknowledged the good work that the SIU has done so far, it raised concerns that the timeframe between the signing of the proclamation and the prosecution/recovery of taxpayer’s money is too long, which delays consequence management.
Despite this, the committee welcomed the initiative by the SIU to start monitoring mechanisms that will track recommendations made by the agency to the department, to ensure adherence to the recommendations and ensure that associated consequence management is implemented on those found in the wrong.
“We urge the department to urgently act upon referrals sent by the SIU to ensure that corruption is rooted out of the department,” said committee chairperson, Machwene Semenya.
The committee also welcomed seven Asset Forfeiture Unit and 36 National Prosecuting Authority referrals, including R95 million around the Vuwani contract, R2.2 billion around the LTE (Long Term Evolution) contract and R1.1 billion in the SAP contract.
Furthermore, the committee welcomed the 25 disciplinary referrals, which include three dismissed officials, one final written warning and four officials who resigned.
While the committee welcomed the disciplinary cases against the officials, it raised concerns that some officials have resigned from the department to get employment in other government departments.
“The committee’s fears are somewhat allayed by assurances that the SIU will facilitate and monitor the execution of section 16B of the Public Service Act, which authorises the accounting authority to refer the disciplinary evidence to the officials’ new accounting authority to take action against the officials.
“Also, the committee is concerned that some DWS officials were not charged despite the fact that they had done business with DWS to the amount of R8 928 490. The committee will call the department to account on why some officials have been dismissed and while others have not been charged,” said Semenya.
Generally, Semenya said, the committee is concerned by the overall view that the oversight mechanisms within the department are dysfunctional, there is poor project management, poor financial management and poor record keeping, as well as failure to comply with supply chain management -- something which creates an environment that is conducive for corruption.
“The committee will continue to engage the department to ensure that control systems are strengthened and that people receive water. Our main preoccupation is ensuring that the projects that are intended to improve the lives of the people reach finality, and that finances are protected,” Semenya said. – SAnews.gov.za
