Gauteng government suspends nine senior officials implicated in the SIU report

The Gauteng provincial government has served three senior managers in the Department of Health and six senior managers in the Department of Infrastructure Development with letters of suspension after they were implicated in the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report.

This is on the recommendation of the unit.

Provincial government spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said disciplinary proceedings would commence as soon as charges were finalised.

“The Gauteng provincial government commends the SIU for its ongoing investigation and civil action to recover public funds that have been misappropriated.

“The SIU has uncovered serious irregularities in the awarding of contractors for the refurbishment of the Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital in the West rand. The SIU has, in terms of a proclamation issued by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August 2020, been investigating allegations of irregularities and maladministration in the procurement of goods and services related to the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

The SIU report, released in January, detailed how contracts were awarded to prominent and influential individuals, as well as relatives of politicians and senior officials, without following supply chain management rules and regulations.

Mhaga said the SIU made referrals to the Gauteng provincial government in December last year to institute disciplinary action against the nine senior managers, who were implicated in irregularities in the awarding of contractors for the refurbishment of the Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital, which was one of the hospitals earmarked for the treatment of Covid-19.

He said the SIU also made referrals to other state institutions for further investigation into the conduct of the implicated government officials and contractors.

“The Gauteng provincial government continues to forge ahead with the fight against fraud and corruption and the drive to build a culture of integrity and ethics among public officials, public servants, business people and civil society.

“The provincial government in 2016 adopted the Gauteng City-Region Integrity Management Policy Framework — underpinned by the Gauteng Anti-Corruption Strategy — to build a culture of integrity among public officials, public servants, business people, and civil society.

“The provincial government has strengthened control systems to prevent fraud and corruption while it has improved capacity to detect, investigate and take appropriate action including instituting disciplinary action against staff, referring matters for criminal investigation and initiating processes to recover stolen money,” Mhaga said.

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