Call for probe into road safety funds

THE DA in the Northern Cape has once again urged the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) to launch an investigation into expenditure by the provincial Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison with regards to the funds received from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

DA provincial spokesperson for Finance, Boitumelo Babuseng, pointed out that to date the department has failed to fully account for a R60 million allocation received from the RTMC in 2014 for road safety initiatives.

“Since then, the department has continued to be given funding from the RTMC. It was announced during the adjustment appropriation budget that the department has received another R6 million from the RTMC to deal with road safety programmes,” said Babuseng. “It is inconceivable how funds can continue to be so freely dished out to a department that has blatantly failed to account for its expenditure of these funds.”

Babuseng added that expenditure to the value of R32 million, out of the total of R60 million, over the past three years had been wrongly classified as a transfer to the implementing agent – Wilcovert.

Items purchased through this fund included donkey carts, furniture, T-shirts, Green Cross shoes and pantihose.

Babuseng said that despite the MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Pauline Williams, advising that the department “did not have funds to investigate the matter”, she had appealed to provincial Treasury for financial assistance.

“Given the doubtfulness of an internal investigation ever taking place within the department, I am more convinced than ever before that Scopa must pursue this matter.”

The DA has also referred the Wilcovert matter to the Public Protector and will take action against Scopa should it continue to turn a blind eye to the matter.

The department did not provide any comment.