The standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the formal referral of matters to corruption-busting for investigation.
Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the primary purpose of the MoU was to strengthen the relationship between the parliamentary watchdog body and the SIU regarding the investigation and reporting on matters pertaining to irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure of public funds.
“More importantly, however, the signing of the MoU assists in the formal referral of certain pressing matters from Scopa to the SIU, as the SIU does not identify specific matters to investigate.
“Matters referred by Scopa to the SIU for investigation or for the motivation for a proclamation include the Eskom intelligence report and the National Skills Fund,” Hlengwa said.
He said Scopa believed that the SIU would continue to prioritise the matters even after the dissolution of the sixth Parliament.
Hlengwa said Scopa has been receiving updates from the SIU on maladministration, malpractice and corruption uncovered during its investigations at state institutions.
“It has noted the specific concerns raised with respect to the high levels of corruption, maladministration, malpractice, lack of consequence management, and delays in prosecutions, all resulting in the failure of the state to recover monies owed to it.”
He noted that the corruption-busting body has consistently briefed Scopa on its investigations, including state capture matters and the lack of consequence management in state institutions in implementing the SIU’s referrals.
“Scopa intervened by requesting the Presidency to devise a mechanism to ensure that all SIU referrals are implemented.
“This led to the Presidency establishing a monitoring and tracking tool that ensures every referral from the SIU is implemented for disciplinary action intervention.
“This has resulted in Eskom and Transnet restricting suppliers implicated in SIU investigations on their own suppliers databases.”
Hlengwa said the parliamentary watchdog body had resolved to continue to collaborate with the SIU in areas of mutual interest, particularly in the investigation and consideration of matters relating to irregular expenditure of public funds and the implementation of prevention measures and monitoring activities.
Cape Times