Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s probe into the Eastern Cape toilet scandal could take four years due to a lack of resources.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) yesterday, Madonsela revealed her office was hamstrung and needed to hire extra personnel to investigate.
Madonsela was invited by UFH Law Students’ Council to address them ahead of mid-year exams starting on June 3.
She said her office had not begun its investigation into R631-million contract awarded by the Amathole District Municipality to the Siyenza Group.
The public protector was approached by the provincial EFF and national DA leaderships to look into the contract following numerous reports in the Daily Dispatch.
Madonsela said she “did not know” when it would be ready to commence with the probe.
“I don’t really know because it’s May now and we have a backlog of 160 cases that are older than a year.”
She said she was unable to employ permanent staff and it was not possible to hire contract investigators even for a year or two to get rid of the backlog.
Madonsela said government had been debating and asking questions on whether her office was probing cases she was suppose to do.
She said this was strange because it was only the constitution that afforded her powers and a “discretion” to decide what cases to investigate.
“If I were given money then to just hire contract workers for a year or two, we could then get rid of the backlog.
“It is sad because some of these things you want to investigate immediately and make findings if anything needs to be reversed.”
She said if an investigation took four years, it may not solve the problem and becomes an “academic answer to solve future problems”.
She said her office had almost concluded the probe into the alleged misuse of millions of rands meant for preparations of the memorial services and funeral of late president Nelson Mandela.
The public protector said there was only one outstanding interview with an official, who had initially requested to see her.
“He’s one person who requested to see us because initially we wanted a written response from him before we needed to see him.”
She said a report was likely to be finalised between June and July.
Her office would also send notices to affected individuals to get their input before a report would be made public.
Students questioned Madonsela at the event and were given an opportunity afterwards to take “selfies” with the public protector.
At the event, a member of UFH SRC said students could not register at the university this year because of insufficient National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds and that the public protector should assist.
Madonsela said she had done a primary probe into NSFAS and was planning to meet with the Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande to look at the issue of insufficient funds and maladministration.
She also urged students to conduct research on the workings of the public protector, the state and constitution. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Toilet scandal probe could take 4 years
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) yesterday, Madonsela revealed her office was hamstrung and needed to hire extra personnel to investigate.
Madonsela was invited by UFH Law Students’ Council to address them ahead of mid-year exams starting on June 3.
She said her office had not begun its investigation into R631-million contract awarded by the Amathole District Municipality to the Siyenza Group.
The public protector was approached by the provincial EFF and national DA leaderships to look into the contract following numerous reports in the Daily Dispatch.
Madonsela said she “did not know” when it would be ready to commence with the probe.
“I don’t really know because it’s May now and we have a backlog of 160 cases that are older than a year.”
She said she was unable to employ permanent staff and it was not possible to hire contract investigators even for a year or two to get rid of the backlog.
Madonsela said government had been debating and asking questions on whether her office was probing cases she was suppose to do.
She said this was strange because it was only the constitution that afforded her powers and a “discretion” to decide what cases to investigate.
“If I were given money then to just hire contract workers for a year or two, we could then get rid of the backlog.
“It is sad because some of these things you want to investigate immediately and make findings if anything needs to be reversed.”
She said if an investigation took four years, it may not solve the problem and becomes an “academic answer to solve future problems”.
She said her office had almost concluded the probe into the alleged misuse of millions of rands meant for preparations of the memorial services and funeral of late president Nelson Mandela.
The public protector said there was only one outstanding interview with an official, who had initially requested to see her.
“He’s one person who requested to see us because initially we wanted a written response from him before we needed to see him.”
She said a report was likely to be finalised between June and July.
Her office would also send notices to affected individuals to get their input before a report would be made public.
Students questioned Madonsela at the event and were given an opportunity afterwards to take “selfies” with the public protector.
At the event, a member of UFH SRC said students could not register at the university this year because of insufficient National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds and that the public protector should assist.
Madonsela said she had done a primary probe into NSFAS and was planning to meet with the Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande to look at the issue of insufficient funds and maladministration.
She also urged students to conduct research on the workings of the public protector, the state and constitution. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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