Bhisho to keep eye on Mandela remedial action

Bhisho Legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet has mandated the portfolio committee of the Office of the Premier to closely monitor the implementation of the public protector, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s proposed remedial actions against those implicated in the Mandela funeral scandal.

Last Friday the multiparty portfolio committee was informed that they would be the ones keeping a close eye on whether or not the provincial government was implementing Mkhwebane’s recommendations properly.

In her report, made public in December, Mkhwebane found that some government officials, politicians and state institutions were implicated in the irregular spending of over R20-million, which was set aside for activities around the time of former statesman Nelson Mandela’s death in December 2013.

That amount formed part of R330-million diverted at the time from the infrastructure development grant.

Mkhwebane’s recommendations includes that action be taken against those found with their hands dirty in irregular spending of taxpayers’ millions.

Portfolio committee chairman Sicelo Gqobana said “over and above the oversight work we do” they would also oversee whether such recommendations had been implemented.

In her report, Mkhwebane said it was shocking that funds were paid‚ at inflated rates‚ to suppliers without verification of delivery of services or goods.

According to that report, almost R6-million was paid by Buffalo City Metro to Victory Ticket 750cc for the transportation of mourners to Mandela’s memorial service‚ but the actual number of people ferried could not be verified.

The public protector at the time said that some of the payments‚ in one instance R10-million‚ were approved over the phone on direct instructions from the ANC and paid to suppliers.

Mkhwebane’s report also mentioned T-shirts‚ at an exorbitant cost of more than R300 each.

She noted that these funds‚ channelled to the Eastern Cape Development Corporation by the Eastern Cape treasury‚ were meant for the provision of running water‚ electricity‚ sanitation‚ ablution facilities‚ replacement of mud schools and refurbishment of hospitals.

Mkhwebane at the time said weaknesses – such as the lack of a proper coordinated plan for state funerals and the lack of an operational centre where daily meetings could be held – resulted in massive unauthorised‚ irregular‚ fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

Mkhwebane also directed Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba to request President Jacob Zuma to make a proclamation that the corruption-busting Special Investigation Unit investigate:

lUnlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money;

lUnlawful‚ irregular or unapproved acquisitive acts‚ transactions‚ measures or practices; and

lIntentional or negligent loss of public money by organs of state, with a view to instituting civil action for the recovery of the lost funds.

A number of BCM politicians and business people, as well as provincial director-general Marion Mbina-Mthembu – who at the time was head of administration at the provincial treasury – are among those implicated. — asandan@dispatch.co.za