The public protector, advocate Thuli Madonsela, is satisfied with a progress report she received from state organs on lease deals for two new office buildings for the police, her office said on Tuesday.
“The presidency has advised on the action it is taking to implement its part of the remedial action,” her spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said on Tuesday.
“The department of public works has also reported on the steps it is taking to implement the remedial action.”
Madonsela’s first report, released in February, was on her investigation into the Sanlam-Middestad building in Pretoria, which was leased for R500-million.
The second report examined the R1.1-billion agreement to lease Transnet Tower in Durban.
Madonsela found the department of public works deviated from the tender process, that the lease agreements were not at the market rate, and that businessman Roux Shabangu allegedly pressured officials to finalise the deals.
She called on Zuma to take action against Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, police commissioner General Bheki Cele and senior officials involved in the deals.
Madonsela met Mahlangu-Nkabinde’s senior adviser on September 2 and was given a plan of action, said Masibi.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde also wrote to Cabinet secretary Cassius Lubisi, asking for an opportunity to present her case, as required by the remedial action.
Lubisi wrote to Madonsela informing her that President Jacob Zuma was handling the matter, Masibi said.
On Monday, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said Zuma took the report seriously, which was why he had decided not make a “hasty or haphazard” decision. — Sapa