KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli this week announced the suspension of a senior official at the transport & human settlements department who was accused of ignoring procurement irregularities in contracts worth hundreds of millions of rand.
The Sunday Times reported that head of department Siboniso Mbhele had been fingered by an internal investigation for signing off on a R600m subsidised public transport tender, as well as approving dubious road construction tender variations in contravention of the prescribed processes.
While no link could be found between the successful bidders and Mbhele, an internal review conducted by transport & human settlements MEC Siboniso Duma’s office recommended that Mbhele, along with other officials in the department, face a disciplinary hearing as irregular expenditure constitutes financial misconduct.
Addressing a media briefing on Friday, Ntuli said these matters, which implicated senior officials including Mbhele, were “serious” and required “decisive action”, including the involvement of law enforcement.
I have requested the MEC for transport to confirm that these matters have been formally reported to law enforcement agencies, as required under section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
He said Mbhele, who has been on sick leave, would be placed on suspension pending the conclusion of another investigation into his conduct.
“I have requested the MEC for transport to confirm that these matters have been formally reported to law enforcement agencies, as required under section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act,” Ntuli said.
“I will be engaging the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to provide immediate support, and I will also request the president to issue a proclamation empowering the SIU to conduct a full investigation into these allegations.
“The acting head of department, Ms Simanga Ngubo, will be directed to withdraw all financial delegations of authority and personally manage all payments to service providers. Payments to any party implicated in wrongdoing will be withheld where prima facie evidence exists.
“Both these matters reflect deep concerns about how public resources are managed. They also underscore the urgent need for accountability. Our commitment is to root out corruption, protect public funds, and ensure the most vulnerable in our society receive the services and support they deserve.”
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