Johannesburg | Thursday
THE government was working to ensure the South African Post Office’s ”honour” was restored, Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said on Wednesday.
Speaking in the National Assembly, she said the investigation into claims of corruption within the Post Office may take some time, but the department would make sure that no-one involved escaped.
The results would be presented to Parliament, but this would only happen when it was certain culprits could be brought to book.
”We will do everything in our power to make sure that the Post Office’s honour is restored,” Matsepe-Casaburri said.
Government initiated a full-scale investigation in 1999 into the workings of the organisation following allegations of corruption.
These reportedly included contracts with non-existing companies, contracts where the economic empowerment component was non-existent and contracts where employees received kickbacks.
Forensic auditing firm, Kroll Associates has been tasked to look into the financial position of the Post Office and identify irregularities over the past three to four years.
The elite crime-fighting unit the Scorpions was called in earlier this month after widespread financial irregularities were identified.
Matsepe-Casaburri said the business of the Post Office had been sabotaged from both inside and outside the organisation.
Somebody, somewhere knew who the identity of those responsible, ”and we will find them”, she said.
The minister welcomed the support expressed by the opposition parties for the organisation’s new CEO Maanda Matyatshe during debate in the House on the Postal Services Amendment Bill.
Most of the opposition parties in Parliament backed the CEO, saying they were confident Matyatshe had the ability to clean up the organisation.
The bill — which was unanimously approved — seeks to extend the Post Office regulator from two to three people, and aims to strengthen the organisation’s capacity to deal with undelivered letters and parcels.
It also amends regulations regarding the insurance of articles, and seeks to clamp down on persons or companies operating in the industry without the required licence.
The measure will now be referred to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence. – Sapa