Scopa wants input from Presidency on SIU reports

THE Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) wants the Presidency to appear before it soon to discuss the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) reports, including the Digital Vibes report.

This comes after the Presidency could not attend a Scopa meeting yesterday due to certain issues.

Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said they would ask the Presidency to brief them on these reports.

“The Presidency will be appearing before us on the earliest possible date in light of the developments we had discussed this morning,” said Hlengwa.

He said in their engagement with acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, they want her to give them an update on action taken against people and officials implicated in the SIU reports.

This could not be left to the SIU as it was not an implementing agent.

He said the implementing agent was the Presidency as it had to act on the findings and recommendation of the SIU.

Hlengwa said Ntshavheni had tendered an apology early yesterday for not attending the meeting because of other commitments. This was despite Scopa writing to her late last month informing her the meeting was going to be held yesterday.

“I did point out to the acting minister that my correspondence was sent out on June 24, and it places the committee in a very difficult position that on the eve of the meeting we start having discussions about these matters which ordinarily we should be dealing with prior,” said Hlengwa.

“As always, we have tried our level best to be as understanding, flexible and accommodating as is necessary, but Parliament’s time has to be respected and it places us in a difficult position, and unfair one at that, when at the last minute we then have to manoeuvre on discussions, which could have been held prior,” he said.

He said the SIU could not be a player and a referee in these matters.

It was in this regard that they wanted the Presidency to appear before Scopa to provide information on action taken against officials implicated in the reports.

The SIU was roped in to investigate the Digital Vibes scandal after reports emerged that the contract of R150 million was irregularly awarded.

The Department of Health has been caught up in the scandal for the last two months and this led Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize to take leave of absence. President Cyril Ramaphosa was given the report last Wednesday by the SIU. Hlengwa said they wanted the Presidency to appear before them concerning action taken against those implicated.