Public Works: What is the Minister doing to get rid of "powerful clique of wrongdoers"

Yesterday, during SCOPA (Standing Committee on Public Accounts) hearings of the Department of Public Works, Minister Thulas Nxesi blamed a "very powerful clique of wrongdoers" for the mismanagement and corruption in his Department.

If the Minister is able to identify the "wrongdoers", he has to explain to Parliament what steps he has taken to purge his Department of this "clique".

SCOPA called the Department of Public Works to account for the disclaimer it received from the Auditor General in its 2010/2011 Annual Report and Financial Statements. In this meeting, Minister Nxesi indicated that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is providing him with evidence to deal "decisively" with this group of "wrongdoers".

Minister Nxesi's remarks raise serious concerns. It is surprising that, despite the professed evidence, the Department has to date suspended only four junior and two senior officials in relation to the corruption investigation. It is not clear whether any members of Minister Nxesi's "clique of wrongdoers" have been suspended.

I will be writing to the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Public Works to request regular feedback from the Minister on how he is using "ammunition" provided by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to deal "decisively" with corrupt officials.

If no members of Nxesi's "clique of wrongdoers" have been suspended, we want to know why. If a deadline has been set for the completion of the investigation, we want to know when it will be.

We want decisive action from the Minister. The portfolio committee on Public Works has an oversight role in the actions and activities of the Public Works Department. We will use this forum to continue to push for answers from the Minister.

Statement issued by Anchen Dreyer MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Works, February 15 2012

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