Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed five proclamations to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in various government entities, including the National Skills Fund and the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
According to South African Government News Agency, the President has issued two new proclamations and made three amendments to existing ones, expanding the scope of investigations to include the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Eskom, PetroSA, Transnet, South African Airways (SAA), the Department of Human Settlements, Alexkor, and the South African Council for Educators (SACE). The SIU aims to recover any financial losses incurred by the State due to these alleged irregularities.
The investigation into the National Skills Fund, as outlined in Proclamation 253 of 2025, will address allegations of serious maladministration and improper conduct by officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training. It will scrutinise the management of funds allocated to skills development programmes and training projects, focusing on specific entities such as Yikhonolakho Woman and Youth Primary Co-operative Limited and Dzunde Farming Co-operative Limited, among others.
In the case of the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Proclamation 256 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate the appointment of travel agents in 2017 for services like flights and accommodations. The investigation will assess whether these appointments were conducted fairly and in compliance with relevant legislation and Treasury instructions.
Proclamation 252 of 2025 amends a previous proclamation to clarify the scope of the SIU’s investigation into several state institutions, including SABC and Eskom. This amendment now formally includes South African Airways in the investigation of serious maladministration and corruption.
Additionally, Proclamation 254 of 2025 broadens the scope of the SIU’s investigation into Alexkor to include other entities like the Alexkor Richtersveld Mining Company Pooling and Sharing Joint Venture. This expanded investigation will examine the procurement and contracting of goods and services and whether these actions contravened applicable laws and policies.
The SIU is empowered to refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during these investigations to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action. It may also initiate civil action to recover financial losses resulting from corruption, fraud, or maladministration.