By Staff Reporter
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) announced on Monday it will investigate allegations of maladministration at Mbombela Municipality in Mpumalanga.
The SIU will investigate seven tenders for any related unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditures incurred by the municipality between February 2015 and May 2025.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a new proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate allegations of maladministration in Mbombela Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province’s affairs and recover any losses the State suffered.
The tenders under investigation include among others, the Phase 1 construction of the Nsikazi North Bulk Water Scheme.
Another tender involves the internal municipal civil engineering services, construction of low-cost RDP housing units, and project management.
Also included are construction-related goods and services tender for the R538 Hazyview to Numbi Gate Turnoff Project.
And a tender for the appointment of professional consultants to establish the Strategic Programmes and Projects Support Unit and Bid number 72/2017 focuses on the Turnkey Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management Programme.
“The SIU probe will examine whether the procurement and contracting were made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective or in violation of applicable legislation, guidelines, or instructions from the National or Provincial Treasury,” said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago on Monday.
“This includes the Municipality’s or the State’s unauthorised, irregular, or wasteful expenditure. Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the Municipality.”
Kganyago said the proclamation also covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred before 16 February 2015.
It also includes any preceding incidents before February 16, 2015, and subsequent occurrences relevant to the investigation’s scope, involving the same individuals, entities, or contracts.
“The probe will also look at any irregular, unlawful, or improper conduct by officials or employees of the Municipality, its suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity implicated,” Kganyago said.
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