Maluleke uncovers R1.8bn SAPS wasteful expenditure

THE SAPS has accrued a staggering R1.8 billion in fruitless and wasteful expenditure as at the end of the financial year in March.

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said it was disappointing, considering budget cuts were affecting operations.

The figure was disclosed by Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke in her audit report contained in the annual report of the police.

“Fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R1.8bn is still under assessment to determine whether it meets the definition. This was also identified after year-end,” Maluleke said.

She said effective and appropriate steps were not taken to prevent irregular expenditure to the tune of R152 million.

“The majority of the irregular expenditure was caused by non-compliance with the bids requirements.”

The A-G found that some contracts were awarded to bidders based on adjudication criteria that differed from that stipulated in the original invitation.

Maluleke indicated that she was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence that disciplinary steps were taken.

“Losses resulting from fruitless and wasteful expenditure were not recovered from the liable persons,” she said.

The A-G put the blame on shortcomings in the SAPS on the action plans to address prior year audit findings.

“Consequence management was not effected against officials who incurred and permitted irregular expenditure in the previous periods,” she said.

National Police Commissioner Fanie Masemola said there was no unauthorised expenditure for the year under review.

Masemola said the confirmed fruitless and wasteful expenditure for the 2021-22 financial year was R621 439.41.

He said processes and systems were in place to address irregular expenditure.

According to Masemola, the importance of the management of irregular expenditure was reiterated during annual supply chain management forums and procurement forums held with deputy provincial commissioners and support heads responsible for resource management.

The annual report showed that a total number of 13 262 new civil claims were registered, valued at R67.6bn as at the end of March.

“This represents contingent liability and does not necessarily represent amounts that claimants are legally

entitled to, nor what is eventually paid.

“Depending on the nature of a particular claim, the amount granted as compensation is on average only a fraction of the amount claimed,” says the report.

There were 46 020 claims valued at R112bn that were still pending in March 2022.

SAPS made 4 598 payments arising from court orders and settlements to the tune of R470m during the year under review.

The claims for unlawful arrest and detention were the highest payouts totalling R346m.

Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said: “It is disappointing that at a time when we are complaining about budget cuts, there is such an amount of wasteful expenditure. With the current challenges facing the SAPS, each and every cent counts in ensuring the underlying challenges mainly faced at station level are addressed.

“Just recently we saw a robbery at yet another police station in Gauteng, something which exposes the infrastructural integrity and capacities of our stations as being on a declining trend.”