Time to act on investigation into graft in province

This week the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) revealed that they had five Eastern Cape municipalities under their watchful eye. These municipalities include Buffalo City Metro where, SIU deputy head Caroline Mampuru said, they had already completed investigating a case of a service provider for refuse bags who overcharged the metro by R7.9m. The unit has now tasked the state attorney to institute a civil action to recover the money.

In the four other municipalities, the SIU wants to recover millions that were allegedly looted when a service provider misled officials in Alfred Nzo, Amahlathi, Mbhashe and the newly formed Raymond Mhlaba municipality in Fort Beaufort. The company, known to the Dispatch, is accused of hiring roads construction machinery and loaning it to the four municipalities, under the guise that the municipalities would end up owning the equipment in a purported rent-to-buy agreement.

But investigators believe that the company was defrauding these municipalities, as they were “never going to become lawful” owners of the equipment after paying millions in rental fees.

In the Alfred Nzo case, the fraud was committed more than five years ago. Even though nine people have already been arrested by the Hawks for allegations of fraud to the sum of R200m, time is crucial.

Mampuru made it clear that the more time it takes to investigate the stolen state funds, the less likely the chances of recovering such money – as crucial information usually goes missing. The same can be said about the SIU’s investigation into the Mandela funeral scandal.

Former president president Jacob Zuma issued a proclamation last year for the SIU to investigate how money earmarked for Mandela memorial services was used.

In her report, former public protector Thuli Madonsela recommended that the state organs whose officials were implicated in the scandal should investigate and suspend those implicated. The only update that the SIU team could give was that investigations were ongoing, however there were “no outcomes yet”.

These are possible crimes which were committed almost five years ago.

It is one thing to investigate but another to bring about a successful prosecution. We have seen enough corruption over the past few years, now is the time for meaningful action.

The more time it takes to investigate stolen state funds, the less likely the chances of recovering it