Latest news with #SIUAct
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
DA welcomes RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo's placement on special leave
The placement of Road Accident Fund CEO Collins Letsoalo on precautionary leave is a long-overdue but necessary step to ensure that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) can conduct its preliminary investigation without interference or influence, the DA said on Wednesday. The transport department said the decision was in the interest of good governance and a precautionary step to facilitate ongoing investigative processes. 'It does not imply any prejudgment or adverse finding against the CEO.' The DA said Letsoalo's temporary removal from office must facilitate full transparency and accountability, particularly in light of serious allegations concerning the RAF's governance failures, financial mismanagement and possible misconduct. Briefing the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) last month, the SIU said it had experienced a lack of co-operation from the RAF in its investigation into the affairs of the entity. 'There were instances where the SIU had to resort to opening a criminal case against a RAF executive for failure to adhere to a lawful subpoena issued by the SIU in terms of the SIU Act,' SIU head Any Mothibi said last month. The DA said the ministry of transport's support for the decision to place Letsoalo on leave must be followed by full co-operation with Scopa and law enforcement agencies. 'The precautionary suspension of the CEO is just the beginning. The DA will not rest until justice and good governance are restored at the RAF.'
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
SIU investigates Department of Defence over mask tender corruption claims
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a new proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the Department of Defence and to recover any losses suffered by the State. Proclamation 260 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate serious maladministration, focusing on irregularities linked to Bid Number CPSC-UB-M-013-2021 for the supply and delivery of surgical mask elastic loops. 'The SIU probe will examine whether the procurement and contracting were made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective or in violation of applicable legislation, guidelines, or instructions from the National or Provincial Treasury. 'This includes the department's or the State's unauthorised, irregular, or wasteful expenditure. Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the department,' said the SIU in a statement today. The probe will also look at any irregular, unlawful, or improper conduct by officials or employees of the department, its suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity implicated. The SIU said the proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between March 1, 2021 and May 23, 2025, as well as any related activities before March 1, 2021 and after the date of the proclamation that are pertinent to the matters under investigation or involve the same persons, entities or contracts. Beyond investigating maladministration, corruption and fraud, the SIU is committed to identifying systemic failures and recommending measures to prevent future losses. In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act), the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during its investigation to the NPA for further action. Under the SIU Act, the SIU is also authorised to initiate a civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Ramaphosa authorises SIU to probe seven tenders in Mbombela
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of maladministration in Mbombela municipality's affairs and recover any losses the state suffered. The SIU said on Monday the proclamation authorised it to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in connection with seven tenders. These were: Tender PRE/040/14/MP for investigation and legal services; Tender DHS/112/15/MP relating to the installation of internal municipal civil engineering services, construction of low-cost reconstruction and development programme housing units and the provision of project management under the integrated residential development programme at Emjindini Extensions 5, 16, 17, 18 and 19; Tender NLM-TS-003/2015/16 relating to engineering services; Construction-related goods and services in respect of the R538 Hazyview to Numbi Gate turn-off project; Bid 26/2015 relating to the appointment of professional consultants for the establishment of the strategic programmes and projects support unit for the municipality; Bid 72/2017 relating to the turnkey energy efficiency and demand side management programme; and Tender 116/2018 relating to the implementation of the construction of phase 1 of the Nsikazi North bulk water scheme. 'The SIU probe will examine whether the procurement and contracting were made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, cost-effective or in violation of applicable legislation, guidelines or instructions from the national or provincial Treasury,' SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said. This included the municipality or state's unauthorised, irregular or wasteful expenditure. 'Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the municipality.' Kganyago said the proclamation covered allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between February 16 2015 and May 2 this year. Under the SIU Act, the SIU is also authorised to initiate a civil action in the high court or a special tribunal to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration.
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
President authorises SIU to probe seven tenders in Mbombela
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of maladministration in Mbombela municipality's affairs and recover any losses the state suffered. The SIU said on Monday the proclamation authorised it to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in connection with seven tenders. These were: 1. Tender number PRE/040/14/MP for investigation and legal services; 2. Tender number DHS/112/15/MP relating to the installation of internal municipal civil engineering services, construction of low-cost reconstruction and development programme housing units and the provision of project management under the integrated residential development programme at Emjindini Extensions 5, 16, 17, 18 and 19.; 3. Tender number NLM-TS-003/2015/16 relating to engineering services; 4. Construction-related goods and services in respect of the R538 Hazyview to Numbi Gate turn-off project; 5. Bid number 26/2015 relating to the appointment of professional consultants for the establishment of the strategic programmes and projects support unit for the municipality; 6. Bid number 72/2017 relating to the turnkey energy efficiency and demand side management programme; and 7. Tender number 116/2018 relating to the implementation of the construction of Phase 1 of the Nsikazi North bulk water scheme. 'The SIU probe will examine whether the procurement and contracting were made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, cost-effective or in violation of applicable legislation, guidelines or instructions from the national or provincial Treasury,' SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said. This included the municipality or state's unauthorised, irregular or wasteful expenditure. 'Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the municipality.' Kganyago said the proclamation covered allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between February 16 2015 and May 2 this year. Under the SIU Act, the SIU is also authorised to initiate a civil action in the high court or a special tribunal to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration.
The Herald
26-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald
SIU unhappy with lack of co-operation as it probes Road Accident Fund
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has experienced a lack of co-operation from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) in its investigation into the affairs of the entity. Briefing parliament's standing committee on public accounts on Friday on its investigation into the affairs of the RAF, SIU head Andy Mothibi said information provided by the RAF in response to requests from the SIU pertained mostly to a period outside that stipulated in terms of the SIU Act. Some of the requests to date had not been responded to by the RAF. 'There were instances where the SIU had to resort to opening a criminal case against a RAF executive for failure to adhere to a lawful subpoena issued by the SIU in terms of the SIU Act.' Mothibi said its investigation methodology involved a right of reply from the implicated party. 'In our RAF investigation, we noted with concern a directive issued by the RAF to its employees in respect of the right of reply, wherein employees were directed to forward the SIU's right of reply to the RAF management, such that responses to the SIU are well co-ordinated. 'We viewed this directive as having a potential to compromise the investigation and it could amount to interference,' Mothibi said. He said the SIU had engaged with RAF management to ensure it did not compromise the investigation. The SIU had directed communications to the RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo. 'We hope the CEO will consider our correspondence and respond to us as appropriate.' The SIU investigation into serious maladministration in the RAF followed a proclamation issued in 2022. Leonard Lekgetho, SIU's chief national investigations officer, said it had completed a number of investigations and was in the process of pursuing civil litigation. These included the decision by the RAF to do away with a panel of attorneys, an office building contract worth R17m per year for five years, a R12m cleaning contract and a R40m office furniture contract. The SIU also investigated 102 law firms, which included sheriffs, that received duplicate payments from RAF of about R340m. When approached with evidence, several legal practitioners co-operated with the SIU investigators by signing acknowledgments of debt The SIU had signed acknowledgments of debt to the value of R70m with actual cash recoveries to date amounting to R42m.
