By Cathy Maphanga and Getrude Makhafola.
A report by the Public Protector has found that the North West departments of public works and social development failed to apply proper financial controls in the procurement of office rental, resulting in a loss of millions of rands.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane investigated procurement issues at the two provincial departments following an anonymous complaint lodged at the North West office in 2018.
The complainant alleged that in November 2017 the social development department procured office space and signed lease agreements without following supply chain and procurement processes for rental offices.
The rented offices are in Mahikeng, Ramotshere Moiloa, Tswaing, Ditsobotla, Kagisano Molopo, Kgetleng, Matlosana, and the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district.
Mkhwebane said Social Development MEC Boitumelo Moiloa and senior officials were reluctant to cooperate in her investigation.
“Notices were served on MEC Moiloa, then acting HOD Ms [Masego] Mekgwe, the former HOD Ms [Dikeledi] Mothobi, and the administrator of the DPWR (Department of Public Works and Roads) Mr [Molate] Moremi on 28 April 2021, with the return date of 12 May 2021. All of them failed to respond by the set deadline. The responses eventually came two to four months later. This is unacceptable. Once again, we remind organs of state that cooperation with our investigation processes is not negotiable.”
The probe found that the heads of the two departments violated the provisions of section 195 of the Constitution in that they failed to uphold a high standard of professional ethics and accountability, and failed to act impartially, fairly and without bias in the procurement of the offices.
The report read:We further found that the DSD (Department of Social Development) irregularly paid service providers in the procurement of office accommodation, resulting in fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The service providers were irregularly paid as per the Departmental Irregular Expenditure Register dated 28/07/2019. The conduct of Ms D. Mothobi, then-head of the DSD, is in violation of section 38 read with section 50 of the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act) and Treasury regulations.
Mkhwebane directed the head of the social development department to compile a training manual within 30 days for the bid evaluation and bid adjudication committees and other officials involved in supply chain processes. She further directed that an investigation be conducted into the irregular expenditure and that the findings be reported to the provincial treasury for appropriate action to be determined.
All members of the bid adjudication committee and senior officials, including the CFO at the social development department, are to face disciplinary processes. MEC Moiloa was directed to ensure that the remedial actions were implemented.
In another report on irregular appointments at the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, Mkhwebane found that personnel were appointed to positions for which they did not have relevant qualifications or experience.
Mbulelo Musi was transferred from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, where he was chief director of communications, to the Department of Defence and Military Veterans.
He was subsequently retained in the position despite the department not being able to verify that he was qualified for the position. The department had requested copies of Musi’s qualifications since 2013, but none had been forthcoming.
Mkhwebane’s report read:Despite this, the department further failed to take any additional steps to approach the relevant qualification verification authorities, such as the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), to verify whether there was any qualification registered in Mr Musi’s name. The department confirmed that as at the date of this report information had not been provided by Mr Musi.
Another employee, Harold Paka, was included on the Provincial Offices and Stakeholder Management Directorate (POSM) payroll, even though he was not an employee of the department.
Paka was transferred from the Mpumalanga Legislature to the position of secretary-general of the South African National Military Veterans’ Association (SANMVA) on level 13 notch, with an annual remuneration package of R964 902 from January 2015 on a 12-month contract. The contract was extended for another 12 months after it lapsed.
The investigation found that Paka was transferred to a position which did not exist in the organisational structure of the department. His appointment was supposed to be approved by the minister, but was confirmed by a former director-general only named as Mr Motumi.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.