President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed Proclamation 185 of 2024, authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the affairs of the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality in the Northern Cape and to recover any financial losses suffered by the State or Municipality.
Proclamation 185 of 2024 authorises the SIU to probe the procurement of and contracting the following 24 contracts:
• Appointment of external security services.
• Acquisition of security services from private security companies from December 2019 to December 2020.
• Appointment of advocates and law firms between 2010 and 2020.
• Appointment of a service provider to supply and construct clear-view fencing between 2018 and 2019.
• Hire a tractor-loader-backhoe (yellow plant) and a tipper truck for 30 days on 27 August 2017 to develop dump sites in Askham, Welkom, Kleinen Groot Mier and Rietfontein.
• Procurement of loggers for measuring flows and pressures in pipelines and for the ACIP project from a firm of consulting engineers in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
• Appointment of a service provider on 10 July 2013 to gather data for financial statements.
• Appointment of service providers on 1 December 2017 for the hire of sound and stage for the Kersliggies event.
• Construction of internal roads in Rosedale.
• Upgrading of internal streets in Loubos.
• Construction of a new Louisvale Road Sewerage Pump Station.
• Construction of internal streets in Klein Mier
• Paving of streets on Louisvale Road.
• Electrification of 1 000 houses on Paballelo and Dakota Road
• Repair and re-surface of CBD roads.
• Construction of sports fields.
• Construction of Leseding access road.
• Planning, design and project management of various parks’ grounds in the municipal area.
• Designing of civil services for Rosedale, Paballelo, Louisvale Road and Dakota Road.
• Compilation of an immovable asset register.
• Resealing a road surface.
• Construction of a bridge between Paballelo and Rosedale.
• Appointment of consultants and contractors.
• Construction of four community sports facilities at Dakota Road, Paballelo, Rainbow and Rosedale
The SIU will also investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure incurred by the Municipality or the State. The scope of the investigation also covers any unlawful or improper conduct by officials or employees of the Municipality, the applicable suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity and intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property.
The Proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that took place between 1 January 2010 and 20 September 2024, the date of the publication of the Proclamation or before 1 January 2010 and after the date of the Proclamation that are relevant to, connected with, and incidental to the matters or involve the same persons, entities or contracts investigated.
In addition to investigating maladministration, malpractice, corruption and fraud, the SIU will identify system failures and make systematic recommendations to improve measures to prevent future losses.
In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act), the SIU will refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovers during its investigations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.
The SIU is empowered by the SIU Act to institute civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during its investigation caused by acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration.
Enquiries:
Mr. Kaizer Kganyago
Spokesperson: Special Investigating Unit
Cell: 082 306 8888
Email: kkganyago@siu.org.za