By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Treasury has launched two forensic investigations into the Independent Development Trust (IDT), a state-owned entity mandated with managing the implementation and delivery of social infrastructure programmes.
This follows allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and maladministration.
The IDT is a Schedule 2 state-owned entity that manages investments in social infrastructure on behalf of the government. It reports to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure who is the shareholder representative.
Insiders and whistleblowers have raised alarm over an entrenched culture of fear and victimisation, a claim that is substantiated by significant number of unfair dismissal cases, resulting in legal fees exceeding R8 million and employee compensation reaching R12 million.
There has been a concern surrounding the tenure of the acting CEO, Ms Tebogo Malaka – who has been the head of IDT since 2021.
Even as the acting CEO, it is still not yet clear whether Malaka’s contract has been formalised, which raises serious doubts about the validity of the decisions that she has taken to date in that role.
These investigations are being facilitated with the assistance of ENS Africa, a leading law firm. Treasury is in the final stages of wrapping up these investigations, as it intensifies its efforts to address corruption and improve governance within state-owned enterprises, which have been historically marred by such concerns.
The findings from these investigations are expected to shed light on the extent of maladministration within the IDT.