By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The department of trade, industry and competition (DTIC) has extended a full-blown investigation into whistle-blower allegations of maladministration at the SA Bureau of Standards (SABS), the statutory body responsible for product standardisation and quality until end of June.
The investigation was launched following an internal departmental review of responses given by the SABS to the allegations, which include maladministration, governance failures, recruitment irregularities and disciplinary matters.
According to the SABS, all documents requested by the investigators from the unit involved have been handed over to the investigators and there has been full co-operation.
“There has been no attempt to cover up anything by management and there has been complete transparency and co-operation by management with the investigation process,” the entity stated.
In February, Tau appointed TSU International’s Elsje Oosthuizen following a whistleblower’s report detailing allegations of negligence in infrastructure maintenance, outdated information technology systems, procurement and recruitment irregularities and flawed governance processes.
Subsequent to the report, the SABS was hit by a ransomware cyber-attack in November and this revealed inadequate disaster recovery measures that are in place to deal with such attacks.
The investigation has been extended until June 30 so that they can try to fill the many gaps of missing information and try to conclude in a more reasonable manner, DTIC minister Parks Tau said.
Tau added the appointment of a board was being finalised and that the filling of the CEO vacancy was being prioritised.”
The Democratic Alliance MP Toby Chance said,” The party will monitor the new Board’s work closely, as the SABS is a crucial institution entrusted with ensuring that all manufactured products in our country are safe for use.
“The SABS has been in the news for all the wrong reasons since August 2024, when whistleblowers began exposing allegations of misgovernance, mismanagement and corruption. A ransomware cyber-attack in November crippled many of the SABS’ critical systems, procurement procedures appear to have been flouted and many of the whistleblowers have been suspended, they claim, to intimidate them into keeping quiet, said Chance.
Chance added that TSU International report is due to be submitted to Tau at the end of June and is expected to recommend sweeping changes to the way the SABS is managed.