The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has expressed its discontent over the slow progress of investigations into unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure cases at the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and its water trading entities.
While the committee commended the department for work already done so far, it requested a detailed report that includes the full names of all officials implicated in wrongdoing.
“Scopa plans on interacting with the Public Service Commission with regard to the movements of officials who either faced disciplinary action, resigned or are dismissed as a result of misconduct, fraud or corruption within the State,” said Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
This is to eliminate the possibility of hiring such officials in other departments or entities within the public sector.
Scopa plans to meet with the Special Investigating Unit and other law enforcement agencies to fully understand the progress of the investigations currently taking place in the DWS.
It also intends requesting the Auditor-General to conduct a special audit over evidence that some water boards’ financial affairs are “not being run” in accordance with proper accounting practices.
The committee will further schedule a hearing with the DWS, along with separate hearings with the water boards to engage on the issues.