President Jacob Zuma has signed off on three proclamations for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to conduct probes into, among others, maladministration and the unlawful spending of money, his office said on Friday.
The investigations will look into the Eastern Cape social development department, the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, and the Thabazimbi local municipality.
The proclamations allows the SIU to probe allegations of serious maladministration, the unlawful spending of public money, the illegal appropriation of property, the unlawful conduct by any employees who may have caused “serious harm to the interests of the public”, among others.
The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development said that “the long awaited proclamation was welcomed.
Head of Department, Stanley Khanyile, said that the proclamations will assist the Department to, among other things, investigate allegations of “serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the Department.”
He said other areas that will come under scrutiny by the Special Investigating Unit is “improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the Department” as well as a probe into the “procurement of goods, works or services” on behalf of the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development.
Khanyile said that the Department of Social Development will await the findings of the investigation once it is concluded.
