‘All wrongdoers will eventually be prosecuted,without fear or favour’
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet wants all those individuals and companies who looted billions of Covid-19 funds to feel the brunt of the law as soon as possible as a form of punishment for their greed.
This was revealed by the Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu yesterday when he addressed the media on the outcome of the meeting held on Wednesday.
Mthembu initially lodged an attack on those people who are undermining regulations governing the sale of alcohol, especially those who drive while under the influence of liquor.
Mthembu said the cabinet has mourned the loss of three Tshwane Metro Police officers who died after being hit by a drunk driver.
“As a result of such reckless behaviour, this week we mourn the untimely death of three Tshwane Metro Police Department officers who lost their lives in a tragic crash with a drunk driver this past weekend. This fatal accident is a wake-up call to all of us, individually and collectively, to reflect on what we can do to begin acting responsibly and playing our part in curbing alcohol abuse.”
Expressing Ramaphosa’s disappointment, Mthembu said the cabinet has urged the SIU and other law enforcement agencies to swiftly investigate all those who are implicated in relation to Covid-19 procurement.
“Cabinet reiterated its commitment to ensure that allegations of corruption relating to Covid-19 procurement are swiftly investigated by law-enforcement agencies such as the Special Investigating Unit. Those implicated will be severely punished, and money stolen from the State by unscrupulous companies and individuals by inflating the prices of personal protective equipment will be recovered,” Mthembu said.
He also praised the quick action of the Inter-ministerial Committee led by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola which published the list of all Covid-19 procurement in municipalities, national and provincial governments as well as state owned entities.
“The committee released the list to make it accessible to the public. The committee was not established to investigate corruption in the acquisition of PPE. Its task was to compile the list of what has been procured,” Mthembu said.
Mthembu’s explanation about the role of the Inter-ministerial Committee was an apparent swipe at the opposition parties who had accused the governing party of investigating itself.
When Ramaphosa announced the committee last month, he received a backlash from most of the opposition, especially the DA and EFF.
Without mentioning the opposition parties, Mthembu reiterated that the task of the Inter-ministerial Committee was to compile all the information and put it on the National Treasury website so that people can have access to it.
“National Treasury will continue with additional work to refine the submitted information for further processing.
“Cabinet reaffirms that law-enforcement agencies will continue to be responsible for the investigative work,’ he said.
Mthembu emphasised that the agencies investigating corruption were the SIU, Hawks, NPA and Correctional Services.
“The Fusion Centre, which coordinates the work of all law-enforcement agencies, remains on track to present its first six-weekly reports in the first week of September 2020 to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Cabinet will give the necessary support to all law-enforcement agencies.”