The African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga says Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Mandla Msibi has withdrawn his application for special leave.
ANC acting secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali says both Premier Refiloe Mtshweni Tsipane and Msibi met and discussed the request.
Msibi, had earlier requested special leave pending an investigation into allegations of mismanagement of COVID-19 funds in his department.
Ntshalintshali says the investigation is not a witch hunt.
“And where we are now currently, they have met, they have agreed that the leave of absence will not be granted but we support the investigation, but it must not be like we are witch-hunting. We are saying if there is any wrongdoing irrespective of political office you hold or in administration, these should be consequences because we want people not to use the name of the ANC to do bad things. So, where we are the MEC is still at work and the premier they have spoken, They are fine.”
Investigation to be completed in the next two weeks
Mtsweni-Tsipane identified some discrepancies regarding expenditure and pricing. She says the investigation will be completed in the next two weeks. They will then refer the matter to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) should they find prima facie evidence of wrongdoing.
“As a matter of urgency I would be appointing an independent team of investigators that will be tasked with establishing reasons for the irregularities with a specific focus on the following departments and agencies, the Department of Culture Sports and Recreation, Provincial Treasury, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency and Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency,”
The Premier says they are also looking at how municipalities spent the COVID-19 funds although the SIU has already started investigating some municipalities such as Nkomazi.
Mtsweni-Tsipane says, “I have called them on the special PCF where I have requested them to collect their data. They have already submitted, we are working on the data that we have received from the municipalities, busy analysing that I’m sure by next Wednesday we should have it readily available.”
In the video below, Mtsweni-Tsipane speaks on the province’s strategy to fight COVID-19:
Mpumalanga adopted a three pillar strategy to deal and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 a strategy focused on prevention and the burial of those who succumbed to the virus.
Mtsweni-Tsipane revealed this recently when President Cyril Ramaphosa was in the province to assess coronavirus response.
