LIMPOPO – The Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure is moving ahead with recommendations from a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into the lifestyles of its supply chain staff – including the chief financial officer.

What the audit found

In total, 42 officials had their lifestyles checked. Here’s how it broke down:

• 15 officials were flagged as high or medium risk
• 27 were found to be low risk, with no significant findings against them

Why this matters

The audit was carried out after Parliament’s watchdog committee, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), raised concerns that some staff in the supply chain unit appeared to be living beyond what their salaries could support.

Following the SIU’s findings, officials rated high or medium risk are being moved out of the finance section into other parts of the department.

What the MEC had to say

Limpopo’s MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, Tonny Ernest Rachoene, welcomed the SIU report, saying it helps the department stay clean and accountable.

“As the Department, we accept our responsibility to implement the recommendations that arise from the SIU’s investigations,” said Rachoene.

He added that this isn’t just a box-ticking exercise – it’s part of a bigger push to make the department more open, accountable, and responsive to Limpopo residents. Where gaps in internal systems were found, the department is tightening them up. Where discipline is needed, it will follow proper labour rules. And where the law has been broken, those cases will go to the relevant law enforcement agencies.