Picture: North West MEC for Education, Wendy Matsemela
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) scandal has rocked the North West Education department. This comes after the department allegedly irregularly appointed a service provider to provide 50 000 three-layered masks to the tune of R1.2 million.
According to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, the service provider allegedly inflated prices.
“As part of the investigations in the North West Education department, the SIU received allegations that the service provider was irregularly appointed to supply 50 000 layered masks to the department to the value of R1.2 million.
“We have since found irregularities in the part of Supply Chain Management process and the service provider has supplied the PPEs at the inflated price. We have also not found facts that the service provider has indeed delivered the masks,” Kganyago said.
He further said the SIU has recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the official involved in corruption. Kganyago added that they are also going to brief the council to try and set aside the contract and recover any money losses that might have been suffered.
The North West Education department did not respond to our text messages and calls before publishing this article.
Meanwhile, the Ad Hoc Committee on Section 100 Intervention in the North West Province chairperson, China Dodovu said they have met with the law enforcement agencies on Friday to receive updates on investigations into allegations of fraud and corruption related to the section 100 intervention.
Dodovu said the committee received updates from the Hawks, the Special Investigative Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Asset Forfeiture Unit on different cases under investigations relating to allegations of fraud and corruption that led to the government placing the provincial administration under administration in 2018.
“These cases are intense, heavy stuff, like a horror movie, it is unbelievable that these things are happening where people just steal, loot and plunder resources of the state in this manner, it is very shocking and concerning that we had to deteriorate to this level”, said the Chairperson of the committee.
“The law enforcement agencies must save the country from criminality, by ensuring that those who plunder state resources are dealt with according to law. The committee was, however, concerned about the pace of the North West investigations and the capacity of the law enforcement agencies. The Zondo Commission is moving closer to completion and there is anticipation that there will be a lot of cases to be investigated,” he said.
Dodovo asked: “With the pace that you are moving with the North West investigations, will you have the capacity to deal with all the cases?”
The lifespan of the Ad Hoc committee will come to an end on the 24th of June 2021 and the committee will table its report before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). Its recommendations will include proposals to strengthen the capacity of the law enforcement agencies.
The Guardian 