Net closing in SIU probe into Master’s Office

THE net is closing on those who were found by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on the wrong side of the law in the affairs of the Office of the Master of the High Court.

The Office of the Master of the High Court is the subject of an SIU investigation after President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the corruption-busting body to probe allegations of maladministration, corruption and fraud in its country-wide offices.

In February 2020, the offices of the Master of the High Court were closed for at least two days to enable the SIU to gather, collate and retrieve information without any hindrance.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said in a parliamentary response that the SIU has referred eight cases to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution and two others for disciplinary proceedings to the department.

“Furthermore, the Special Investigating Unit has 23 potential cases that they intend to refer by April 2021,” Lamola said. These included five disciplinary cases, seven criminal referrals to be submitted to the NPA, 10 referrals to be submitted to the professional bodies and one blacklisting.

Lamola revealed this when responding to parliamentary questions from ANC MP Nomathemba Maseko-Jele, who asked about the number of positive cases that had been found through the Special Investigating Unit’s investigations.

Asked about progress made to ensure the Master's Office has an electronic filing system to improve services, the minister said the department has developed trust and deceased online registration services, whose status are at advanced stages.

“The development of the trust online system is in its final stages, and piloting is planned to take place before the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

“The deceased development of the deceased online system is currently in the developing and testing phase,” he said.

Asked by DA MP Werner Horn about steps taken to improve the quality of the services rendered by the Master of the High Court, Lamola said the office was in the process of modernising the electronic systems to simplify processes, enhance the production capacity and to inhibit the culture of corruption through stricter controls and audit trails.