Union calls on NC SIU office to probe state depts

THE NATIONAL Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in the Northern Cape has requested the newly established office of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in the Province to probe state departments for corruption and the looting of state resources.

Nehawu provincial secretary Steffen Cornelius stated that they had requested the SIU to launch investigations into the Office of the Premier, the Department of Health, the Department of Education, the Department of Social

Development, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the Provincial Legislature, the Northern Cape Premier’s Education Trust Fund and the Kakamas Water Board.

“These departments stand out as looting pots and corruption havens in the Province,” said Cornelius

yesterday.

He said that workers in the Province were convinced that public service officials continued to enrich themselves through corrupt activities.

“The slow pace of report-backs and the fact that perpetrators continue to roam around offices and intimidate workers who expose corruption cannot go on.”

Cornelius called on union members to report acts of corruption relating to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPES).

“The cancer of maladministration, irregular appointments and financial misconduct cannot be left to the premier alone, it must be a societal issue.

“Those who misuse and abuse money meant for service delivery for the working class and the poor should prepare themselves to dress in orange overalls.

“Nehawu will not stand by while thieves masquerading as pseudo-intellectuals, technical experts and progressives steal the very little money left for the creation of a development state, while the Anc-headed government continues with its austerity programme of a ‘lean and mean’ state.

“We call on all our members and workers in general to become whistle-blowers against thieves.”