The Special Investigating Unit has been given the authority to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the affairs of the Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State. Picture: SIU Facebook page
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been given the authority to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the affairs of the Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State.
In addition, the unit has been tasked with assisting in recovering any financial losses suffered by the State or the municipality.
Specifically, the unit has been given authorisation by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate the procurement and contracting of armed physical security services in the municipality.
The SIU will investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure incurred by the department or the state.
The unit’s investigation also cover any unlawful or improper conduct by department officials or employees, suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public, the SIU said.
What is of particular importance for the unit is to establish if there was any unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money.
The SIU will be looking at any allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that took place between January 2019 and April 2024.
Investigators will also be looking for system failures and said that they would be making systematic recommendations to improve measures to prevent future losses.
Lastly, investigators said that they will refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovers during its investigations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.
In March, a source told The Star that in the Moqhaka Municipality more than R100 million of state funds had been squandered. The funds were supposed to be used to refurbish a sewage plant.
In September 2021, former deputy president David Mabuza had instructed municipal officials to fix the activated-sludge sewage works, and by May 5, the sludge was proclaimed functional by executive mayor Motlogeloa Mokatsane and his team of officials.
According to the source in The Star, he was surprised to learn that in 2022, the same activated-sludge plant was included in a tender scope due for refurbishment after the auditor-general report noted the R10-million refurbishment.
“After a visit to the sewage plant in February 2024, it was confirmed by the operator that only one of the two refurbished screw pumps was working, both sand pumps were removed, the flow meters were not functional, one of the three mixers were not functioning, three of the six aerators were not functional, another small screw pump removed and the co-ordinator has never functioned since it was apparently refurbished,” the source added.
The source also revealed that the biological sewage works was budgeted to be repaired at R15 million.
Upon the acting manager advocate Mzwakhe Mofokeng’s request for an additional R80 million to complete the plant, the municipality was still unable to get the sewer plant functional.
At the time, Mabuza committed that by December 2021, no raw sewage would enter the Vaal River.
“This did not materialise but the ANC used the public participation process to swindle more than R100 million out of the state coffers and continue to loot our country,” the source claimed.
IOL News has reached out to SIU to see if their investigation will also incorporate the sewage plant allegations.
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