Author: Agency

At least 14 government entities and departments – including the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) – will come under the sharp eye of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed five proclamations authorising the unit to investigate corruption and maladministration in the entities. SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said the departments under investigation include all of the provincial health departments. “The SIU investigation [into health departments] will focus on unlawful or improper conduct by claimants or applicants in respect to medical negligence claims that were fraudulent, improper or unlawful by any person or entity that unduly benefited…

A former acting head of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly fraudulently receiving R7 million payments from a supplier in the Free State government asbestos project. This was on Wednesday announced by the Hawks in a statement. Captain Christopher Singo said the 56-year-old suspect was arrested in Alberton Gauteng by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bloemfontein. He said: “It is alleged that during the period of 2014 and 2017 an irregular contract was awarded to a service provider for the eradication of asbestos roofs by the department of Human Settlement, Free…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of six government officials in Mpumalanga for fraud and theft of over R60 million. The six government officials were arrested by the Hawks in Mpumalanga for various charges including fraud, theft, money laundering and contravention of section 6 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA Act). In a statement, SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said five of the accused were employed at the Mbombela Traffic Department (MTD), and one at Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM). The accused appeared in the Mbombela Magistrate Court on Monday. “The officials were involved in over 10…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says it is undeniable that South Africa has made gains in transforming a skewed and racialised economy. “Today, there are well over 300,000 black entrepreneurs who own over half of all small businesses in the formal sector,“ he said on Wednesday. In addition to the progress in management, shareholding and ownership of businesses by black and women South Africans, there has also been substantial progress made in employment equity. “As we reflect on this progress, we must also critically examine areas where transformation has been slow and implementation has been weak,” said President Ramaphosa at the inaugural…

South Africa has recorded four new deaths related to COVID-19, but none of the latest fatalities were reported in the past 24 to 48 hour reporting cycle. According to the latest data, this means the country’s death toll now stands at 101 922 since the outbreak. The Department of Health on Monday reported 880 new cases, pushing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 4 000 631. Gauteng remains the hardest-hit province, followed by the Western Cape. Meanwhile, the country saw an increase of 10 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1 102 patients who…

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has published for consultation the proposed regulations pertaining to the exploration and production of onshore oil and gas requiring hydraulic fracturing. The Minister also published the intention to prescribe minimum requirements for the submission of applications for an authorisation, right, permit or licence for the onshore exploration of oil and gas intending to utilise hydraulic fracturing. The proposed regulations and minimum requirements have been published, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act. The publication of the proposed regulations comes four years after the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside the…

At least four people have appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering related to the defrauding of Eskom during the height of state capture at the power utility. The four include two former employees of digital technologies company ABB, Mohammed Mooidheen and Vernon Pillay and their wives Raeesa Mooidheen and Aradhna Pillay. According to the National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate (NPA ID) spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, the four allegedly cashed in on “gratifications estimated at R8.6 million…by inflating prices” for ABB subcontractor, Impulse. They were arrested in Durban and Mpumalanga and appeared in the…

The four suspects were expected to appear in the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court on Monday for being in possession of allegedly stolen copper cables valued at R10 million. This followed an intelligence-driven operation executed by the Gauteng Flying Squad, Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) from Protea Glen and the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in the Westrand on Thursday. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the joint team rushed to the location when they received information about four suspects offloading copper from one truck and loading it onto another. “On arrival, the police allegedly caught the suspects in the act…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Just Energy Transition (JET) Framework will serve as a key evidence-based guide for policy making for South Africa’s transition from a carbon intensive economy towards a greener and cleaner economy. The framework was presented to him by the Presidential Climate Committee (PCC) on Tuesday. “As this Just Transition framework underscores, combating climate change is not only an environmental imperative, but an economic one as well. This framework is an evidence-based document and a victory for evidence-based policymaking. “The publication of this framework must now serve as a call to action to each of us to…

Pension funds will from next year be permitted to invest 45% of their capital in infrastructure projects, the National Treasury has announced. This comes after the Department on Tuesday published the final amendments to Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act. Regulation 28, issued in terms of section 36(1)(bB) of the Pension Funds Act, protects retirement fund member savings by limiting the extent to which funds may invest in a particular asset or in particular asset classes, and prevents excessive concentration risk. The Treasury said the regulations widen the scope of potential investments for retirement funds but continues to leave…