Over R22 million lost from coffers
According to the report, the Department of Health was implicated in the loss of R20 million, followed by the education department which lost R2,2 million due to financial misconduct
MBOMBELA – The Public Service Commission (PSC) has found that over R22 million from the provincial government’s coffers was lost due to financial misconduct in the 2014/15 financial year. That is R21 million more than the R1,4 million in 2013/14.
According to the report, the Department of Health was implicated in the loss of R20 million, followed by the education department which lost R2,2 million due to financial misconduct.
Also read: Millions in expired medicine destroyed
On Thursday the commission briefed government on compliance findings for the 2014/15 financial year. It faced harsh criticism from members of the provincial legislature for its inability to impose sanctions on government officials and departments found to have been involved in mismanagement of funds.
The commission is legislated to inspect departments and other organisational components in the public service, but it can only make recommendations.
The report further pointed that the Department of Education had the highest number of grievances reported against it. The Department of Health faced 172 grievances.
Also read: UPDATE: ROB CRISIS – Bodies rot, total chaos
An inspection by PSC at Rob Ferreira Hospital in February 2015 showed that 50 per cent of fridges were non-functional and the neonatal unit did not conform to norms and standards. It also found a problem with the general maintenance and neglect of the hospital.
However, the hospital has since made sure that all fridges are fully functional. The hospital has even allocated a unit to accommodate 35 children. Construction of a new mortuary was also planned for the 2016/17 financial year.
The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation and the Department of Finance were the only two departments with no complaints lodged against them.
One of the recommendations by the PSC was that only cases involving R100 000 or more must be reported to the SAPS. The DA’s Mr James Masango said the legislation undermined the fact that any sum of money stolen from taxpayers’ should be accounted for.
Bushbuckridge Residents Association’s secretary general, Mr Cleopas Maunye, said a harsh stance needed to be taken against those who have been found to have benefited unduly from state resources. MPLs said the increase in grievances was also worrisome.
“Despite the recommendations from the commission, we see the same acts continuing to happen,” said Mr Collen Sedibe from the Economic Freedom Fighters.
In other cases, the PSC found that the sanctions implemented in disciplinary matters did not justify the seriousness of the financial misconduct by the employees.
The commission also recommended that random audits needed to be conducted to ensure systems are in place and to mitigate the risk of corruption.
