The Special Investigating Unit confirmed on Monday it had begun a wide-ranging forensic probe against eThekwini Municipality for the alleged squandering of millions of rand intended to protect people from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move comes as the city fathers say they are struggling to obtain information from officials in the beleaguered Supply Chain Management business unit, which would enable further investigations and disciplinary measures to be undertaken internally.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “The SIU is indeed … investigating the PPE acquisitions by the municipality. We are currently looking at 87 companies involved. The investigations have only just commenced.”
This comes hot on the heels of a damning report recently leaked to The Mercury before it was tabled before the city’s executive committee for further action.
The Covid-19 expenditure review report details how R76 million allocated for social safety and protection for the masses against the dreaded virus may have been abused to benefit a few.
Meanwhile, the exco has had to defer the item on this critical matter twice already due to officials in the SCM arm failing to supply requisite information to confirm the concerns raised by the audit committee.
Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda’s spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa confirmed this yesterday, saying the matter would be considered again by exco at its first meeting next year.
“The report was incomplete as there was critical information from SCM that was missing,” he said.
The DA said while it welcomed the action taken by the SIU, it expected the city to proceed with internal disciplinary processes.
“Clearly there are officials within the city who have deliberately withheld documentation from audit committee investigators. The acting city manager must institute disciplinary action against these officials,” said DA exco member Thabani Mthethwa.
IFP caucus leader Mdu Nkosi said the party was vindicated since it had always said it did not support the Covid-19 spending as there were many discrepancies.
“We welcome the SIU probe and we hope it will be finalized speedily so that those involved in squandering money intended to help vulnerable people and victims of this virus can be arrested. That would send a clear and strong message against a culture whereby public coffers are simply squandered to line up the pockets of a few connected individuals,” he said.
The allegations include, among others, normal municipal operations being allocated under the Covid budget vote as a way of justifying emergency funding allocation as well as companies outside of the city’s approved central supplier database being awarded contracts.
-The Mercury
In other news – Holiday time: Connie and Shona Ferguson go to Dubai – Video
The Ferguson Family is living it up in Dubai and we are in envy mode. As the festive season is currently underway most people have been going on holiday to enjoy some much-needed relaxation time and enjoy the hard-earned cash they have worked hard for during the course of the year and it’s beautiful to see.
It is no secret that this year was another major success for the power couple and media moguls Shona and Connie Ferguson as their productions did well. Learn More
The post SIU investigates eThekwini Municipality’s Covid-19 spending first appeared on News365.co.za.
إرسال تعليق