Mokonyane must investigative Myeni‘s breach of the PFMA
30 January 2017
Today, the DA will write to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, to request that she investigate a clear breach of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) by Dudu Myeni as Chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water Authority.
Section 83 of the PFMA states that any failure to comply with the PFMA by an accounting authority of a public entity, such as a water board, is financial misconduct.
Regulation 33 of the same Act requires that where an allegation of misconduct has been raised, an investigation must be initiated within 30 days. The Minister must set out the manner in which allegations and charges of financial misconduct are to be reported to the National Treasury, the provincial treasury and the Auditor-General.
Reports in the media last week detailed how Myeni splurged millions on expensive trips abroad to water conferences she never even attended, took the board to 5-star hotels, and allegedly instructed an official to invoice the KwaZulu-Natal co-operative governance department R 1.4 million for work that was never completed.
The Mhlathuze Water Authority’s 2014/15 and 2015/16 annual reports indicate that Myeni was paid R538 000 in 2015 with an additional R508 000 in 2016. Since a court has ruled that her appointment from February 2015 to date was unlawful, Myeni should pay back the full R1 046 000.
While the DA have already requested that the Minster conduct a full forensic investigation, Myeni’s actions are not in line with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and therefore requires further action by the Minister.
The Minister’s continued silence makes a mockery of the Act’s primary objective that requires public officials to be responsible when spending taxpayer’s money.
The shameless and wasteful appropriation of public funds is utterly unacceptable in a country where millions of people struggle to put food on the table.
The DA will use all avenues at our disposal to ensure that Myeni is held accountable for the misuse of public money.
Issued by Tarnia Baker DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, 30 January 2017
