Jan 19 2011 7:30AM
Xolani Mbanjwa
President Jacob Zuma has ordered the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of corruption, maladministration and irregular expenditure at the National Heritage Council (NHC).
Zuma’s probe into the NHC was prompted by a complaint from former arts and culture minister Lulu Xingwana, who was replaced by Paul Mashatile in October.
In a proclamation published in the Government Gazette last week, Zuma instructed the SIU to recover losses that the council or the state may have incurred.
Xingwana, who is now Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, was apparently unhappy about the mismanagement of funds arising from the council’s annual report.
This was after the auditor-general, Terrence Nombembe, raised serious concerns that the council’s financial statements in the annual report “were not adequately reviewed for completeness and accuracy prior to submission for audit”.
In the council’s 2009/2010 annual report, Nombembe said that an amount of R5.3m spent on three contracts awarded by the council was irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, after he found that the council had failed to follow proper procurement processes.
In terms of the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury regulations, all contracts exceeding R1m in value should be put through an open tender bidding process.
But this was not done. In a separate case, Nombembe also took the council to task for spending R71 000 to settle a labour dispute out of court, after it had spent R164 000 on legal costs defending its decision to dismiss an official.
In October, Zuma instructed the SIU to conduct various anti-corruption probes on government departments, including the South Africa Police Service, the department of social development, the department of public works and the department of education in the Eastern Cape.
Nombembe further noted that the NHC “did not exercise adequate oversight over compliance with laws and regulations relating to supply chain management, to prevent irregular expenditure”.
The state-funded, 10-member council is tasked with preserving South Africa’s history, culture and heritage and advises the minister of arts and culture on all heritage matters.
When current members took office in June last year, Xingwana urged new council members to “fight against the scourge of corruption”, adding that corruption satisfied “selfish insatiable greed of groups and individuals”.
The unit, headed by Willie Hofmeyr, has also been ordered to probe any unlawful procurement of goods or services. Zuma gave the SIU a blank cheque to probe “any serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the council”, which includes improper or unlawful conduct by members.
President Jacob Zuma has ordered the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of corruption, maladministration and irregular expenditure at the National Heritage Council (NHC).
Zuma’s probe into the NHC was prompted by a complaint from former arts and culture minister Lulu Xingwana, who was replaced by Paul Mashatile in October.
In a proclamation published in the Government Gazette last week, Zuma instructed the SIU to recover losses that the council or the state may have incurred.
Xingwana, who is now Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, was apparently unhappy about the mismanagement of funds arising from the council’s annual report.
This was after the auditor-general, Terrence Nombembe, raised serious concerns that the council’s financial statements in the annual report “were not adequately reviewed for completeness and accuracy prior to submission for audit”.
In the council’s 2009/2010 annual report, Nombembe said that an amount of R5.3m spent on three contracts awarded by the council was irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, after he found that the council had failed to follow proper procurement processes.
In terms of the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury regulations, all contracts exceeding R1m in value should be put through an open tender bidding process.
But this was not done. In a separate case, Nombembe also took the council to task for spending R71 000 to settle a labour dispute out of court, after it had spent R164 000 on legal costs defending its decision to dismiss an official.
In October, Zuma instructed the SIU to conduct various anti-corruption probes on government departments, including the South Africa Police Service, the department of social development, the department of public works and the department of education in the Eastern Cape.
Nombembe further noted that the NHC “did not exercise adequate oversight over compliance with laws and regulations relating to supply chain management, to prevent irregular expenditure”.
The state-funded, 10-member council is tasked with preserving South Africa’s history, culture and heritage and advises the minister of arts and culture on all heritage matters.
When current members took office in June last year, Xingwana urged new council members to “fight against the scourge of corruption”, adding that corruption satisfied “selfish insatiable greed of groups and individuals”.
The unit, headed by Willie Hofmeyr, has also been ordered to probe any unlawful procurement of goods or services. Zuma gave the SIU a blank cheque to probe “any serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the council”, which includes improper or unlawful conduct by members.
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