Latest news with #Lesufi
Eyewitness News
6 days ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Lesufi announces new HODs in administrative shake-up of Gauteng govt
JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has made some administrative changes to his government, with some heads of departments fired for underperformance and failing lifestyle audits. Lesufi announced the appointments of new HODs for a number of departments during a provincial legislature sitting on Thursday morning. The departments of e-gov, infrastructure, sports, health, social development and education now have new HODs. While three heads of department were fired and others resigned from the provincial government, some were moved to other portfolios. Thirty-seven percent of high-ranking officials in the Gauteng government failed their lifestyle audits, which were conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). Moreover, an internal assessment found that some heads of department were at the centre of mediocre service delivery and questionable payments The province's ethics advisory committee then recommended that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi crack the whip on incompetent senior officials. "In the last few months, we witnessed displeasing acts of under expenditures to the tune of R1.8 billion, senior members failing lifestyle audits, and underperformance by some departments. We taken a decision to reset government." Albert Chanee will now head the provincial education department, which a forensic report revealed had the highest number of employees accused of unethical conduct.
The Citizen
02-07-2025
- The Citizen
Gauteng HODs to be removed after SIU lifestyle audit findings
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that three heads of department (HODs) will be removed from their positions following the outcomes of lifestyle audits conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). According to Lesufi, the officials failed to adequately respond to concerns raised in the audit reports, which form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public service. Lesufi revealed that 37% of officials assessed through the lifestyle audit process were flagged as high-risk or non-compliant. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health empowers staff with training to enhance patient care The affected HODs were given an opportunity to explain the discrepancies, but their responses failed to meet the audit requirements. 'I received the final reports from the SIU, and of the four outstanding cases, three returned negative outcomes. Based on these findings, I have instructed the Director-General to initiate the process of their removal,' he said. The lifestyle audits focus on identifying discrepancies between officials' declared lifestyles and their known income, aiming to detect potential financial misconduct or undeclared interests. The audits form part of a broader effort to improve governance in the province. Lesufi added that lifestyle audits will now be prioritised for officials working in supply chain and financial management roles across all Gauteng departments and public entities. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health invests R100 million in hospital upgrades The Office of the Premier will be the starting point for this expanded review, with investigators currently processing documents and conducting third-party verifications. In addition to the lifestyle audit initiative, Lesufi said that 47 completed forensic reports have been made public. These were compiled by the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Office of the Public Protector. They form part of a broader set of 177 reports, with the remainder to be released once finalised. The published reports detail a range of alleged irregularities, including the abuse of state resources, unauthorised expenditure, procurement violations, fraud, unfair labour practices, and personnel irregularities. Many of the reports date back several years and involve multiple departments. Lesufi clarified that these reports were previously under departmental review and were not being withheld by the Office of the Premier, as had been suggested in some quarters. To ensure accountability, a monitoring committee has been established within the Office of the Premier. ALSO READ: Gauteng MEC's food parcel cuts spark NPO protests It will track the implementation of recommendations from the reports, including efforts to recover misused public funds. Departments are required to submit quarterly updates on corrective actions taken. Lesufi also confirmed ongoing collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to support the recovery of assets linked to irregular conduct. According to the provincial government, the lifestyle audits and forensic investigations form part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance, reduce financial irregularities, and restore public trust in government operations. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
01-07-2025
- The Citizen
Lesufi orders removal of three top officials after failed lifestyle audits
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that three heads of department (HODs) will be removed from their positions following the outcomes of lifestyle audits conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). According to Lesufi, the officials failed to adequately respond to concerns raised in the audit reports, which form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public service. Lesufi revealed that 37% of officials assessed through the lifestyle audit process were flagged as high-risk or non-compliant. ALSO READ: Measles Outbreak in Gauteng: GDoH intensifies vaccination efforts The affected HODs were given an opportunity to explain the discrepancies, but their responses failed to meet the audit requirements. 'I received the final reports from the SIU, and of the four outstanding cases, three returned negative outcomes. Based on these findings, I have instructed the Director-General to initiate the process of their removal,' he said. The lifestyle audits focus on identifying discrepancies between officials' declared lifestyles and their known income, aiming to detect potential financial misconduct or undeclared interests. The audits form part of a broader effort to improve governance in the province. Lesufi added that lifestyle audits will now be prioritised for officials working in supply chain and financial management roles across all Gauteng departments and public entities. ALSO READ: Gauteng Robotics Regional crowns young innovators in Eldorado Park The Office of the Premier will be the starting point for this expanded review, with investigators currently processing documents and conducting third-party verifications. In addition to the lifestyle audit initiative, Lesufi said that 47 completed forensic reports have been made public. These were compiled by the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Office of the Public Protector. They form part of a broader set of 177 reports, with the remainder to be released once finalised. The published reports detail a range of alleged irregularities, including the abuse of state resources, unauthorised expenditure, procurement violations, fraud, unfair labour practices, and personnel irregularities. Many of the reports date back several years and involve multiple departments. Lesufi clarified that these reports were previously under departmental review and were not being withheld by the Office of the Premier, as had been suggested in some quarters. To ensure accountability, a monitoring committee has been established within the Office of the Premier. ALSO READ: National Blood Donor Month 2025: Gauteng celebrates SANBS blood heroes It will track the implementation of recommendations from the reports, including efforts to recover misused public funds. Departments are required to submit quarterly updates on corrective actions taken. Lesufi also confirmed ongoing collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to support the recovery of assets linked to irregular conduct. According to the provincial government, the lifestyle audits and forensic investigations form part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance, reduce financial irregularities, and restore public trust in government operations. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
01-07-2025
- The Citizen
Three Gauteng senior officials face dismissal after failed lifestyle audits
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that three heads of department (HODs) will be removed from their positions following the outcomes of lifestyle audits conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). According to Lesufi, the officials failed to adequately respond to concerns raised in the audit reports, which form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public service. Lesufi revealed that 37% of officials assessed through the lifestyle audit process were flagged as high-risk or non-compliant. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health empowers staff with training to enhance patient care The affected HODs were given an opportunity to explain the discrepancies, but their responses failed to meet the audit requirements. 'I received the final reports from the SIU, and of the four outstanding cases, three returned negative outcomes. Based on these findings, I have instructed the Director-General to initiate the process of their removal,' he said. The lifestyle audits focus on identifying discrepancies between officials' declared lifestyles and their known income, aiming to detect potential financial misconduct or undeclared interests. The audits form part of a broader effort to improve governance in the province. Lesufi added that lifestyle audits will now be prioritised for officials working in supply chain and financial management roles across all Gauteng departments and public entities. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health invests R100 million in hospital upgrades The Office of the Premier will be the starting point for this expanded review, with investigators currently processing documents and conducting third-party verifications. In addition to the lifestyle audit initiative, Lesufi said that 47 completed forensic reports have been made public. These were compiled by the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Office of the Public Protector. They form part of a broader set of 177 reports, with the remainder to be released once finalised. The published reports detail a range of alleged irregularities, including the abuse of state resources, unauthorised expenditure, procurement violations, fraud, unfair labour practices, and personnel irregularities. Many of the reports date back several years and involve multiple departments. Lesufi clarified that these reports were previously under departmental review and were not being withheld by the Office of the Premier, as had been suggested in some quarters. To ensure accountability, a monitoring committee has been established within the Office of the Premier. ALSO READ: Gauteng MEC's food parcel cuts spark NPO protests It will track the implementation of recommendations from the reports, including efforts to recover misused public funds. Departments are required to submit quarterly updates on corrective actions taken. Lesufi also confirmed ongoing collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to support the recovery of assets linked to irregular conduct. According to the provincial government, the lifestyle audits and forensic investigations form part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance, reduce financial irregularities, and restore public trust in government operations. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
26-06-2025
- IOL News
Lesufi refutes DA pressure over forensic investigation report release
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has fired three senior officials after damning lifestyle audit findings, reinforcing Gauteng's zero-tolerance stance on corruption and unethical conduct in provincial leadership. Image: Gauteng Gov / X Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has denied reports that he has succumbed to DA pressure by releasing the 47 forensic investigation reports, which have resulted in more than 88 people being sanctioned for their involvement in alleged theft and irregular financial practices. On Wednesday, Lesufi released another batch of forensic investigation reports, which were referred to the Public Protector, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for investigation. Lesufi announced the removal of three Heads of Department (HODs) after they failed their lifestyle audits for the second time. The audits, conducted by the SIU, revealed that 37% of senior officials assessed were either high-risk or failed to satisfactorily explain their finances. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The reports from multiple departments covered alleged abuse of state resources, irregular and unauthorised expenditure, theft, unfair labour practices, ghost employees, and suspected fraud. Some reports date as far back as 2016. According to Lesufi, 88 people have been sanctioned and held accountable for transgressions emanating from the findings and the recommendations of the investigations, with at least R2 million of the R3 million that was lost due to financial misconduct having been recovered. Overall, based on these 47 reports, approximately 88 people have faced consequence management, and 55 criminal cases have been registered with law enforcement by the departments. This reflects the Gauteng Provincial Government's (GPG) commitment to accountability. "This means that almost 60% of the value lost through fraud and corruption was recovered by the GPG departments in the last quarter," Lesufi said. However, the DA, through its provincial chairperson, Solly Msimanga, suggested that it is through their pressure that Lesufi has been able to comply. "Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has succumbed to pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and has announced that he will release 47 forensic investigation reports to the public. This is out of 177 that are awaited. "We note that these reports are still waiting for the promised publication on the website. This has been long overdue, and more reports are still outstanding. We will continue to exert pressure on Premier Lesufi using the mechanisms at our disposal to force him to release all the reports," said Msimanga. However, reacting to the DA, spokesperson for the premier, Sizwe Pamla, denied that it is pressure from the DA that has resulted in the release of these reports, saying Lesufi had made the commitment to release these reports as soon as they are made available to him. "It is not true that the premier has succumbed to pressure, as the premier made a commitment in 2023 when he took over that he would release these reports as soon as they are made available to him, when he was appointed late in 2022. When he came, he released some of the reports within months of his appointment. The fact that political parties have been impatient is understandable as they had hoped that they would extract something from these reports," Pamla stated.
