AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit corrects Gauteng government’s “misleading” statements on corruption investigations
23 October 2024
The Gauteng Provincial Government is being economical with the truth when it says an investigation into 13 Social Development Department officials has not been completed, which permitted their return to work. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit is in possession of the charge sheets that would have seen the implicated officials face a disciplinary hearing on 12 January this year – before what is alleged to be political interference from the highest levels in the provincial government brought a stop to the process.
Earlier this month the unit revealed that a whistleblower alleged that Premier Panyaza Lesufi was a central figure in a massive cover-up of rampant corruption, money laundering and fraud that has cost the provincial government hundreds of millions of rands that was allocated to the Department of Social Development (DSD) to support needy NGOs.
The charge sheets in question were based on an investigation by Forensic Services Group Africa (FSG) that had identified the 13 officials as well as directors of Non-Profit Organisations as being involved in irregular procurement practices, fraud and corruption. Notably, the FSG report is just one of several such investigations conducted since 2016 when malfeasance was first discovered in the department in relation to foodbank, school uniform, and dignity pack programmes.
The Notice of Disciplinary Hearing letters to the employees state: “I refer to the findings of a forensic audit conducted by FSG Africa into possible financial misconduct as well as fraudulent, corrupt, and other irregular conduct which may have taken place in respect of a number of Non-Profit Organisations ("NPOs"). After reviewing the evidence of certain alleged acts of misconduct committed by you with respect to the abovementioned NPOs, the Gauteng Department of Social Development ("the Department") has decided to institute disciplinary proceedings against you.”
The whistleblower says Lesufi was provided with the reports, but alleges that instead of following through on the recommendations, he terminated the process to hold the officials accountable and now wants the public to believe that the matter is still under investigation.
In a letter to Lesufi’s office, Adv. Gerrie Nel, head of the unit, refers to a public statement attributed to the Premier wherein he states he is “committed to transparency and accountability’. “We invite you to uphold your publicly proclaimed devout commitment to transparency and accountability by giving our correspondence the attention it deserves. Respectfully, we must remind you that the Office of the Premier cannot take the discomfort of our correspondence as personal and hope that “wilful blindness” will justify anyone’s exoneration,” said Nel.
“The Gauteng Provincial Forensic Audit Unit has been relocated from the Gauteng Provincial Treasury to the Office of the Premier. As the Premier, you are responsible for communicating and taking responsibility for reports authorised by this section of your office. Therefore, you must also take responsibility for failing to implement forensic investigation recommendations,” concluded Nel.
Issued by Barry Bateman, Communications Manager: Private Prosecution Unit, AfriForum, 23 October 2024
