The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has launched an inquiry into alleged corruption in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office linked to the province’s flagship Operation Sukuma Sakhe programme since 2007.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has launched an inquiry into alleged corruption in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office linked to the province’s flagship Operation Sukuma Sakhe programme since 2007.
The programme, the name of which means “stand up and build”, was introduced as a response to the HIV-Aids pandemic and set up a series of war rooms from provincial to ward level to assist in streamlining and coordinating service delivery.
The SIU investigation will focus on the term of office of all six ANC premiers since S’bu Ndebele, under whose tenure the programme was introduced, and will look into six of the province’s priority programmes coordinated by the premier’s office.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said in a statement that the proclamation authorised the unit to investigate “serious allegations of maladministration” in the premier’s office with regard to the appointment of consultants to support the six priority programmes, including the Operation Sukuma Sakhe projects.
The proclamation also covers the terms of office of premiers Zweli Mkhize, Senzo Mchunu, Willies Mchunu, Sihle Zikalala and the incumbent, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, who spokesperson Bongi Gwala undertook to comment on the appointment of the investigation.
The inquiry will also look into the appointment of consultants to build and operate the Luwamba Wellness Centre, a joint venture between the province and Divine Life Society of South Africa at Ntambanana in Zululand.
“The investigation will also look to see if there was any unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the office of the premier in KwaZulu-Natal, or losses suffered by the provincial office or the state,” Kganyago said.
The SIU would also identify systemic failures that allowed maladministration and corruption to take place and make recommendations on how to prevent this from happening again.
It would institute civil action at either the special tribunal or the high court to recover any losses to the state identified during the investigation and also make referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority should criminal activity be identified.