President orders SIU probe into eThekwini Water and Sanitation maladministration
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a Special Investigative Unit (SIU) investigation into the alleged maladministration and misuse of municipal funds within embattled eThekwini Water and Sanitation.
AS the Democratic Alliance (DA) prepares to march on Durban City Hall on Friday, February 21, to call for the resignation of city manager Musa Mbhele and the head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), Ednick Msweli, for failing to stem the ongoing water crisis which is threatening to bring the municipality to a standstill, President Cyril Ramaphosa has instituted an investigation into the allegations of corruption and maladministration within the municipal department.
He called on the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) to look into the “serious maladministration in the affairs of the municipality in respect of the provision of water and sanitation services to human settlements and schools situated within the municipal boundaries of the municipality in terms of Project Number Y6525AZ1: Ablution Blocks-IN SITU Upgrade-Infrastructure Sanitation, including the causes of such maladministration”.
The SIU will under section 2(2) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No. 74 of 1996) also probe, “Any irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by — employees or officials of the municipality; or any other person or entity, in relation to the allegations” made against the city and EWS.
“The municipality or the State may have suffered losses that may be recovered. I deem it necessary that the said allegations should be investigated and civil proceedings emanating from such investigation should be adjudicated upon,” read the presidential order.
Also Read: ‘Our people need water’ – Xaba
The scope of the investigation covers:
(a) Serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the municipality
(b) Improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the municipality
(c) Unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property
(d) Unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having a bearing upon State property
(e) Intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property
(f) Offence referred to in Parts 1 to 4, or section 17, 20 or 21 (in so far as it relates to the aforementioned offences) of Chapter 2 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act No. 12 of 2004), and which offences were committed in connection with the affairs of the municipality
(g) unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public or any category thereof, which took place between 1 January 2015 and the date of publication of this Proclamation or which took place prior to 1 January 2015 or after the date of publication of this Proclamation, but is relevant to, connected with, incidental or ancillary to the matters mentioned in the Schedule or involve the same persons, entities or contracts investigated under authority of this Proclamation, and to exercise or perform all the functions and powers assigned to or conferred upon the said Special Investigating Unit by the Act, including the recovery of any losses suffered by the municipality or the State, in relation to the said matters in the Schedule.
The DA protest for service delivery will take place from 11:30 at the Durban City Hall.
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