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SIU wants swifter action on criminal matters

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The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it wants swifter action on criminal matters it’s referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The SIU was briefing the National Assembly’s Justice Committee on its annual performance plan.

The SIU is trying to trace and recover R14.7 billion as a result of corrupt practices. But it says the NPA’s conduct has not been satisfactory.

The SIU has instituted civil litigation to recover more than R5.5 billion on behalf of State-owned Enterprises.

Eskom has the biggest chunk with R3.7 billion of the money is owed to it, R1 billion to the Construction Industry Development Board (CIBD)  and  the SABC with just under half a billion rand.

SIU Head Andy Mothibi says they have also referred a total of 338 cases for disciplinary action to be taken. This includes 210 cases at the CIBD, 94 at the Gauteng Health Department and 17 at the SABC.

“To date there hasn’t been really any satisfactory progress in terms of implementing this MoU. With changes in the leadership at the NPA, we’ve again started reengaging. So the re-engagement started in February and it went on until as late as yesterday [Monday].”

State Capture Commission 

The SIU says it’s still pursuing civil litigation against the Nkandla architect, Minenhle Makhanya but this has been dragging in court. The entity wants to recover over R150 million from Makhanya.

The unit says it’s also dealing with the Bosasa and other matters emanating from the State Capture Commission.

“Part of what we are doing, based on what comes out of the State Capture Commission, if there is evidence of matters that requires us to subject them to that business process, we will scope the process, understand the evidence and make sure that there is a need to put them through the proclamation … there is a few that we are busy with.”

The SIU says it’s owed almost a half a billion rand by state agencies.

SIU CFO,  Andre Gernandt says, “So what we are saying; we are a going concern for the next few years and foreseeable future. Even if we don’t get debt into the next year for the next three years, we will be a going concern. We want to increase our government grant from 60% to something higher.”

Meanwhile, the Special Tribunal approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, is expected to start operating in September.

Mothibi says the SIU welcomes the President’s decision to re-establish the Special Tribunal that he hopes will help expedite SIU cases.

He says the Special Tribunal is expected to be functional by October.

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