The Democratic Alliance on Monday detailed a remarkable set of accusations against the top management of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), including allegations some are involved in fraud and child pornography.
Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on the department of trade and industry’s Budget vote, DA MP Mark Lowe also told members certain of the bureau’s managers stood accused of ”highly suspect” foreign travel allowances, leave and financial irregularities, and sexual harassment charges.
He said SABS chief executive officer Eugene Julies’ ”dictatorial” management style was ”central to the myriad of problems”, and said the CEO himself was facing allegations of perverting the course of justice.
This stemmed from Julies allegedly signing a false statement after being involved in a drunk driving accident in which a woman died.
A further allegation against the CEO was that he had received a R40 000 discount on a Mercedes 4×4 vehicle, Lowe said. Julies, who was at Parliament to hear the debate, dismissed the allegations as ”scurrilous”, and said Lowe should get his facts
straight.
Lowe has called for a commission of inquiry into activities at the SABS. He said there were allegations made against its senior management of ”involvement in an international child pornography ring”.
Those who had made the allegations — apparently SABS employees — had been suspended and charged with leaking confidential matters to outside sources, while other staff were warned against speaking about conditions at the bureau.
Lowe said other allegations against the CEO included: awarding his own company, Eurotype Test Centre, the SABS contract to test Mercedes and BMWs; and, that R75-million in the reserve fund may have been ”depleted”.
”Mr Minister (Alec Erwin), these are extremely serious allegations, and I ask that you use your authority to establish a ministerial commission of inquiry into the SABS, and particularly, the activities of its CEO,” Lowe said.
Julies said it was the first he had ever heard of such accusations.
”Instead of sitting on the sidelines and making scurrilous allegations against me, he (Lowe) should get his facts straight.
”It would be nice if he took the time to address me personally before making what would be defamatory comments if they were not made in Parliament,” he said. – Sapa