Department drains R4.5bn

The water affairs and sanitation department has wasted taxpayers’ money by fruitless and wasteful expenditure of close to R3 billion and unexplained accruals totalling R1.5 billion.

Committee on public accounts (Scopa) chairperson Themba Godi lambasted the department and questioned Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, pictured, about her department’s massive mismanagement.

During a meeting with the minister yesterday, Scopa members raised the exorbitant payment by implementing agent Lepelle Northern Water to LTE Consulting, a company appointed irregularly by the department.

It was agreed that another meeting with Mokonyane should be scheduled as soon as possible to focus on the Lepelle Northern Water contract, which has increased from R502 million to the current R2.7 billion.

The department is under forensic investigation regarding various tenders awarded irregularly, including the LTE contract.

Scopa also scrutinised the huge amount attributed to accruals within the department. “The committee is also shocked to discover that the department has wasted a lot of money by double and triple paying some suppliers millions of rands using the same invoice,” Godi said.

The department was not able to supply information to the committee on expenditures and accruals, so the committee requested it to forward written reports as soon as possible.