Latest news with #SpecialTribunal
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Macpherson hails SIU's R67m recovery from ‘corrupt' contractor
The Special Tribunal has ordered R67 million be recovered from Kroucamp Plumbers after the contractor defrauded the public works department. A R67 million recovery order obtained by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Friday against a contractor that defrauded the department of public works and infrastructure has been welcomed by Minister Dean Macpherson. He described the development as a critical victory in the fight against corruption. The order was granted by the Special Tribunal, targeting Kroucamp Plumbers. The company secured contracts worth R67 million from the department of public works and infrastructure (DPWI) between 2015 and 2019. The SIU has called the method of obtaining these contracts a 'corrupt network' of falsified bids, undisclosed conflicts of interest and payments to state officials. Counterclaim averted in major legal win 'This recovery order is another important step in our efforts to root out corruption and recover stolen public funds,' Macpherson said. 'Those who defraud the state and think they can get away with it must think again.' According to the department, the order not only facilitates the recovery of the full contract value. It also prevents a looming R33 million counterclaim that Kroucamp Plumbers had intended to bring against the DPWI. The SIU's investigation uncovered a manipulation of tender processes by officials working in concert with the contractor. This forms part of a broader pattern of fraud that Macpherson's ministry has pledged to dismantle. 'Since taking office, we have worked closely with the SIU to support and expedite investigations into corruption, mismanagement and fraud across the department,' Macpherson said. 'The case against Kroucamp Plumbers is a prime example of the importance of our collaboration.' ALSO READ: Zikalala slams 'spurious' allegations about R45m IDT lease deal, heads to Public Protector Lifestyle audits for over 400 officials underway The department is now finalising lifestyle audits for more than 400 high-risk officials. This aims to reinforce financial accountability and improve procurement transparency. 'Together with law enforcement agencies, we will continue to send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated,' Macpherson added. 'We are working hard to turn the department of public works and Infrastructure into the economic delivery unit of South Africa.' Macpherson reaffirmed that the department is determined to ensure all infrastructure projects are delivered on time, within budget and free from corruption. NOW READ: Macpherson vows action on failed projects and EPWP reform
TimesLIVE
10-07-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Special Tribunal sets aside R67m public works plumbing contracts
The Special Tribunal has declared contracts worth R67m awarded by the department of public works and infrastructure to Kroucamp Plumbers invalid and unlawful and ordered the company to refund the department. The contracts were awarded between 2015 and 2019 and were for services related to vacuum pumping of septic tanks and emergency sewage blockage interventions. The tribunal also dismissed a counterclaim of R33m, which Kroucamp Plumbers had submitted against the department. In a statement, the SIU said it contested the counterclaim, resulting in a favourable outcome for the department. The order follows an investigation conducted by the SIU which uncovered a complex network of corruption involving falsified bidding documents, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and payments made to officials who manipulated the tendering process. The SIU said its investigation revealed that Kroucamp Plumbers misrepresented its B-BBEE status, submitted incomplete bidding information and colluded with departmental officials to secure contracts totalling millions of rand. 'The tribunal determined that the company's director, Johannes Jacobus Kroucamp, exploited the corporate structure for personal gain, thereby jeopardising the interests of the state,' SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said. According to Kganyago, judge David Makhoba emphasised the gravity of the misconduct, indicating that the tenders breached constitutional procurement regulations and eroded public trust. 'The ruling annuls both contracts and revokes the juristic personality of Kroucamp Plumbers, requiring the company to compensate the state for the financial losses incurred. Consequently, Mr Kroucamp may be held personally accountable for the company's debts owed to the state,' Kganyado said. President Cyril Ramaphosa directed the SIU, under Proclamation R20 of 2018, to investigate allegations of serious maladministration, improper conduct and corruption in the awarding of tenders by the department of public works and infrastructure. The SIU is also empowered to institute civil action in the high court or a special tribunal to address any wrongdoing uncovered during investigations related to corruption, fraud or maladministration.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov writes: The West and its echo chamber
On June 25, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement to establish what they are calling a 'Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine'. The aim is supposedly to 'hold accountable' Russia's political and military leadership for allegedly 'using force in violation of the UN Charter'. This move is just the latest in a series of anti-Russia legal stunts cooked up by Kyiv and its Western backers. Originally, Ukraine tried to push this so-called 'tribunal' through the United Nations. But the effort was largely ignored — unsurprisingly, given its pseudo-legal foundation. In fact, this is not the first time such overblown initiatives have fallen flat. Back in January 2024, the International Court of Justice threw out Ukraine's accusations that Russia had violated international conventions on terrorism financing and racial discrimination. Yet, Kyiv and Strasbourg still cling to the fantasy that this new 'tribunal' can somehow legitimise their anti-Russia narrative. To anyone outside the echo chamber of European politics, this whole idea seems delusional — but it is clearly designed to stoke fear among Europeans about the non-existent 'Russian threat', which NATO eagerly plays up to justify its own existence. Let's not forget: According to the UN Charter, only the Security Council has the authority to determine whether an act of aggression has occurred and to impose sanctions. Neither the Council of Europe nor Zelenskyy has that mandate. Since they cannot get their way through international law, they are trying to replace it with a notorious 'rules-based order' — a convenient excuse for applying double standards. For years, the West has brushed aside reality — ignoring Russia's legitimate security concerns, its right to self-defence, and its actions grounded in international law. These factors were key in escalating the Ukrainian crisis in the first place. Now, this tribunal push feels like nothing more than a desperate attempt by Europe to shield Kyiv from an investigation into its own numerous war crimes and to mask the strategic missteps in their reckless bid to 'defeat' Russia at any cost. Russia's stance on all this has been loud and clear: These schemes have no legal weight. They have no legitimacy and are not about justice or peace. To the contrary, they make a peaceful resolution even harder to achieve. Now that the agreement has been signed, Kyiv and Strasbourg are shopping this tribunal idea around to countries outside the region — particularly in the Global South. The strategy is to create a precedent that turns this legal fiction into a new tool of neo-colonial pressure against anyone who refuses to toe the line of the West. The endgame is as clear as it is cynical. What is especially troubling is the timing. These moves come just as fragile negotiations are resuming — a clear attempt to sabotage any chance at dialogue. And they go hand-in-hand with Kyiv's daily drone attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, deep inside our territory. Europe turns a blind eye, sticking to its one-sided narrative and pretending not to see the bigger picture. It is more proof that the creators of this tribunal are not interested in peace — they are playing politics, plain and simple. Russia's position has not changed: We remain committed to a diplomatic solution, one that addresses the root causes of the conflict and reflects the facts on the ground. Russia's leadership has said it time and again — the longer this conflict drags on, the worse the eventual terms will be for Ukraine. Europe is now doing everything to make that happen. The writer is Russian Ambassador to India
TimesLIVE
26-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Special Tribunal nullifies two Mpumalanga PPE contracts
The Special Tribunal has ruled that two personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts awarded by the Mpumalanga health department to Vitae Zoe to the combined value of R9.1m were unlawful and invalid. These contracts were for the supply and delivery of 3,000 infrared thermometers in April 2020 and an additional 1,000 devices in May 2020. The tribunal set aside the contracts after an application made by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). The tribunal, in its order dated May 5, also directed Vita Zoe to submit audited financial statements for the 2020/2021 financial year to the SIU and the tribunal registrar within 30 days of the order to determine payments received by Vitae Zoe under the two contracts. Vitae Zoe had to propose a repayment plan within 15 days of a formal demand by the SIU. 'The SIU has received Vitae Zoe's financial statement and is determining the amount Vitae Zoe must repay,' SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said.
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
The Nuremberg Moment Closing In On Russian Leaders
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary General Alain Berset shake hands as they speak ... More after the signing of an agreement for establishing a special tribunal to try top officials responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, on June 25, 2025. (Photo credit: FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP via Getty Images) On June 25, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bilateral agreement with the Council of Europe to create a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. This marks a major step toward holding Russia's leadership accountable for launching the full-scale invasion in 2022. The Council of Europe, an international organization consisting of 46 nations, is dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, President Zelensky thanked the assembly and underscored the importance of justice. As President Zelensky recognized: 'It was here in this Assembly that the first call for such a tribunal was made. The idea was born here, and now it's gaining real support from partner countries in Europe and beyond. It will take strong political and legal co-operation to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice, including Putin. This is the path we must walk – all the way to real charges and real verdicts.' He further added, 'The aggressor must lose. We're working on that. But justice matters too. It must work so that war criminals have nowhere to hide, not in Europe, not anywhere. And in a way that sets a legal principle – NO rewards for aggression.' PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos commented that: 'For over 1,200 days and nights, the people of Ukraine have lived what I once called a thousand nightmares. And among those nightmares, one stands out as the most dangerous: that the world might become accustomed to this war. That a full-scale invasion of a sovereign state becomes normalized. That war crimes become invisible. But this Assembly – this Council – was created to stand precisely against such moral erosion.' The new Tribunal will have a mandate to prosecute senior leaders for the crime of aggression - the decision to use armed force against another state - in violation of the UN Charter. Senior legal experts from a 'core group' of around 40 states worked together with the Ukrainian authorities, the Council of Europe and the EU to draft the three legal instruments needed to establish the Special Tribunal. The Special Tribunal aims to close a key legal gap in existing international accountability mechanisms - to address the crime that started it all - the crime of aggression. While many of the crimes perpetrated by Putin and his troops are already being investigated and prosecuted, whether by domestic or international tribunals, the crime of aggression is yet to be addressed with comprehensive responses. While, for example, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has powers to investigate any acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Ukraine, it cannot exercise its jurisdiction with regard to the crime of aggression against Ukraine. This is because the act of aggression is committed by Russia, a state that is not a party to the Rome Statute. One option would be for the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation to the ICC. However, such an attempt would have been blocked by Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with a veto right. As such, States and experts have been looking into other options to ensure that the mother of all crimes in Ukraine - the crime of aggression - does not escape accountability. The Special Tribunal will not start from scratch but will benefit from the work of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (ICPA) operating for two years now, securing evidence and facilitating the process of case building at an early stage. The Special Tribunal will complement the efforts of the ICC by targeting high-level officials responsible for starting the war, such as Putin and his inner circle, and add to the many other avenues for justice and accountability already underway. The Special Tribunal must be welcomed as an important step to address the crime of aggression, which continues to fall through the cracks of international legal norms.
