Durban — The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation into allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the KZN premier’s office.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed Proclamation R130 of 2023 authorising the SIU to investigate serious allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the Office of the Premier in KZN.
“In terms of the proclamation, the investigation will focus on the appointment of a consultant to support six provincial priority programmes, including the Luwamba Wellness Centre Project, and Operation Sukuma Sakhe Projects,” Kganyago said.
“The investigation will also look to see if there was any unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Office of the Premier in KZN, or losses suffered by the provincial office or the state.
“Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish whether there was any irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by the contractors, employees, or officials of the Office of the Premier and the suppliers, service providers, or any other person or entity.
“In addition to investigating maladministration and malpractice, the SIU will also identify failures, and will also make systematic recommendations to improve measures to prevent future losses,” Kganyago said.
He said the proclamation covered allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that took place between April 1, 2007, and July 29, 2023, the date of the publication of the proclamation or before April 1, 2007, and after the date of the proclamation that was relevant to, connected with, incidental to the matters or involved the same persons, entities or contracts investigated.
Kganyago added that the SIU was empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a special tribunal in its name, to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during its investigations caused by acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration. In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU would refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovered to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.
DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers said the party welcomed the SIU’s probe into maladministration in the premier’s office.
Rodgers said the DA welcomes confirmation by the SIU that it had been authorised to investigate allegations of maladministration within KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s office.
“The DA has long maintained that KZN’s Office of the Premier (OTP) is captured and a front for protecting corrupt comrades,” Rodgers said.
“As the highest office in the province, the OTP is supposed to set an example to provincial government departments in terms of ethics and performance. Yet this is not the case.”
Rodgers said the fact that it was now being subjected to such intense scrutiny by the SIU was an indictment against KZN’s Taliban faction of the ANC government, and an embarrassment to the province.
He said the reality was that KZN had gone from bad to worse under an increasingly divided ANC – and it was citizens who suffered the most as politics was placed first.
Rodgers said that the ANC’s arrogance knew no bounds and the premier and her office were right at the forefront of this. Recent events within uMngeni were a prime example, with the premier herself failing to follow due process in booking a venue, and then trying to strong-arm the DA into leaving.
He said that a lack of accountability was another recurring theme within the ANC.
“In March last year, the DA established that there were an estimated 85 incomplete forensic audits gathering dust within the OTP, some dating as far back as 2014. If ever there was proof that KZN’s Taliban faction of the ANC government was not committed to rooting out corruption, then this is it,” Rodgers said.
He said the DA was committed to offering every support to the SIU in its investigations. KZN’s people deserve a government that was accountable and transparent. Next year would provide them with the opportunity to elect a new government and save our province, he said.
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