Buffalo city: The Special Investigating Unit will probe allegations of serious maladministration and corruption in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the unit to investigate the municipality.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Buffalo City investigation will examine six contracts focusing on the procurement of, or contracting for, goods, works, or services. These include the Mdantsane NU2 Swimming Pool Project, the appointment of First New Generation Trading (Pty) Ltd for the demolition of existing walls, the appointment of Lefito Trading, trading as Kuyasa Electrical Contractors, for the removal of the Donkin wall and palisade installation, consulting engineer services for the Water World Project, and the main contractor for the Water World Project.
The SIU has stated that it will investigate allegations of serious maladministration, improper or unlawful conduct by employees of the municipality and Buffalo City Metropolitan Development Agency, as well as the unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property. The investigation will also examine any unlawful, irregular, or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure, or practice involving State property, along with any intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property.
Further, the investigation will scrutinize payments made in connection with the above matters where such payments were not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective, or were contrary to applicable legislation. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed an amendment to a proclamation authorising the corruption-busting unit to probe two tenders of the Gauteng Provincial Department of Human Settlements.
The Gauteng investigation relates to two tenders for ablution and sanitation infrastructure as well as walk units at the Sicelo Shiceka informal settlement. The amendment expands the scope of the investigation to include 100 ablution and sanitation infrastructure and facilities at Bekkersdal and extends the period covered by the investigation to include allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between 1 April 2017 and 18 September 2026.
Any criminal conduct uncovered by the investigations will be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for consideration. The SIU is also authorised under the SIU Act to institute civil proceedings in the High Court or the Special Tribunal in its own name to recover losses or address wrongdoing arising from acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration.