Covid-19 investigations now at R6bn

INVESTIGATIONS into Covid-19 theft cases is now estimated to be more than R6 billion.

This was revealed by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) yesterday after more provinces had asked the law enforcement agencies to also probe malfeasance in their regions.

Gauteng still has the highest number of people and companies facing civil and criminal prosecution due to the alleged theft of Covid-19 funds.

The latest province to ask the SIU to act was Limpopo.

Last week, Premier Stan Mathabatha asked the SIU to lodge an investigation into three provincial government departments, including health.

Yesterday, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that the number of Covid-19 cases under investigation were increasing substantially.

“As of last week Wednesday, we had 648 cases totalling an amount of just over R5bn. Gauteng had the biggest cases, worth about R2.2bn.

“So Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha asked us to investigate three of his departments, including the construction of shacks in Tzaneen and Burgersfort. This would be an additional hundred more cases,” Kganyago said.

“We began our investigations in Gauteng in June and it was for that reason that we were able to freeze bank accounts of several individuals and companies linked to the Covid-19 theft,” Kganyago said.

He said all the parties will have to individually approach the North Gauteng

High Court to oppose the interim order against them on October 6.

One of them is former Gauteng Health chief financial officer Kabelo Lehloenya after the SIU interdicted her pension pending investigations.

Yesterday, Gauteng Acting Health MEC Jacob Mamabolo directed his officials to compile a full report on all long-outstanding disciplinary cases and to immediately commence with hearings and fast track those cases already under way.

He said his decision came in the wake of the announcement of investigations by the SIU where his departmental officials were implicated.

Mamabolo said his department remains committed to addressing maladministration and rooting out corruption.

Meanwhile, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse chief executive Wayne Duvenage has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to give law enforcement agencies more freedom to deal with culprits of corruption, including those responsible for state capture.