Pretoria: At least three municipalities are to be placed under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of proclamations, authorizing the corruption-fighting entity to look into allegations of maladministration within the Tshwane Metro Municipality, Mahikeng Local Municipality, and Alfred Nzo Municipality. Additionally, the President has amended the proclamation regarding the Chris Hani District Municipality.

According to South African Government News Agency, the SIU’s spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, detailed the focus areas of the investigation. The probe into the Tshwane Metro Municipality will center on the procurement processes for upgrading and expanding a macro surveillance closed-circuit television system. The investigation will assess if there was any unauthorized, irregular, or wasteful expenditure by the municipality, and if such actions led to any financial losses for the municipality or the state. The inquiry will further evaluate whet
her the procurement and contracting processes adhered to principles of fairness, competitiveness, transparency, equity, and cost-effectiveness, as well as compliance with relevant legislation and guidelines.

For the Mahikeng Local Municipality, the investigation will scrutinize two specific tenders: Lease agreement SCM/MLM17(A)/12/2015 dated 15 December 2015, and Full Maintenance Lease Agreement SCM/MLM17(B)/12/2015 dated 23 February 2016. The SIU will investigate whether these payments were made in a manner consistent with legal and procedural standards and if they led to unauthorized, irregular, or wasteful expenditure. The focus will also be on identifying any unlawful or improper conduct by municipal employees, officials, or service providers.

In the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, at least seven contracts related to water services infrastructure projects will be examined. These include projects in Ntabankulu, Mount Ayliff, Mbizana Town, and Mount Frere, among others. The SIU aims to uncover any unaut
horized, irregular, or wasteful expenditures and to determine if there was any misconduct by municipal officials, contractors, suppliers, or service providers.

The investigation into the Chris Hani District Municipality has been extended, with the SIU now authorized to investigate procurement activities from as far back as 01 December 2011. The focus will include the appointment of the Chris Hani Co-operative Development Centre NPC and the procurement of goods, works, or services associated with Tender No. 33/2015/MD (TN) – Cluster 9 Backlog Eradication: Tsomo Water Treatment and River Abstraction Works. This extension results from findings that indicated the need for further investigation beyond the scope of the initial proclamations.