By Obakeng Maje

No stone will be left unturned in investigating allegations of irregularities in the appointment of a law firm that is conducting hearings against suspended Head of Department (HOD) in the Department of Finance Johannes Mohlala, North West Premier Thandi Modise vowed on Thursday. 

  Premier Modise made the commitment to the Select Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) in the Provincial Legislature during its extraordinary sitting in Mmabatho on Thursday.

“We will do everything in our power to get to the bottom of the matter in order to protect the state from embarrassment. No person was sworn into the Executive Council to defraud the government system,” stressed the Premier.

Modise highlighted efforts that her Office had taken Members of the Executive council through a capacity building and induction programme on what is their mandate and functions and what areas into which they should not encroach in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

She added that HOD’s were also part of the session and encouraged not to allow Executive Authorities to usurp their functions as Accounting Officers and to seek intervention from the Premier should 

 they be put under any undue pressure to contravene supply chain management and employment processes and procedures.

Scopa had based on documents submitted during the sitting established that tender processes were flouted in the appointment of Morake Attorneys from Rustenburg as no tender process was followed as required by the Public Finance Management Act for amounts in excess of R500 000,00.

The Department of Finance confirmed that R7 million has thus far been paid to the law-firm in the ongoing matter between itself and the suspended HOD and not R13 million as reported in the media.

The Chief Financial Officer and Chief Director who had authorised payments have since been sacked but have appealed their dismissal.

In addition to investigating whether there was any conflict of interest, Modise committed to also investigate reasons for Mohlala’s suspension and the rationale for outsourcing the recording system that was used during his hearing.

The committee commended the Premier for demonstrating leadership and responsibility by accompanying MEC for Finance, Paul Sebegoe and MEC for Education, Louisa Mabe (who was the MEC for Finance at the time of the alleged irregularity) and apologising on their behalf for the misunderstanding which was already playing itself in the public domain.

In concluding the hearing, Scopa Chairperson Hlomane Chauke applauded Premier Modise demonstrating her understanding and respect of the oversight function of committees of the legislature.

A follow up meeting between the Premier, Speaker of the Legislature, Chairperson of Scopa and the Auditor General is to be held in due course to determine a way-forward.