Public works minister Thulas Nxesi wants a fraud-free department and says as long as there are people accused of crime, they will be held accountable.
He was speaking in Port St John's on Friday where he said those accused of fraud needed to be put through disciplinary processes and be fired if found guilty.
Last week, he and his acting director-general Imtiaz Fazel‚ and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head advocate Andy Mothibi‚ disclosed information gathered as a result of a probe into irregularities in the government’s multi-billion building lease and property construction portfolio.
Nxesi said when he was made head of the department in 2011 he carried out a diagnostic report that showed him what needed to be done before he was moved to head sport.
He said back then he had adopted a turnaround strategy that had a seven-year target and at the core of this was fighting fraud and corruption.
“I’m dealing with the department of tenders, where there is a lot of corruption, and we have to change the way we are doing business. Many institutions and people have complained about the way public works does business – like taking years to finish projects – and so we decided to engage the SIU,” Nxesi said.
“Remember there has been a break in terms of me as an executive authority in that department as I was away for almost a year. When I came back I started where I left off and I am continuing,” he said.“The SIU has given me the reports of their investigations suggesting who has to be prosecuted and who has to be disciplined internally; as well as the different irregularities where officials have not declared their interests and are running a business with government.
“We believe it's not just about charging people, it’s about preventing fraud and ensuring it doesn't take place.“
This particular activity is led by our government risk unit, where we have opened a special branch to detect fraud and corruption and start internal investigations. Big investigations we send to the SIU.”
He said before he was moved out of public works some officials had been expelled and some appeals had been lost.“If people have to be sanctioned in one way or another we will have to do that. It ranges from warnings, deducting from their salaries heavily, and after final warnings sometimes expulsion if we have to. On the basis of the information we now have we are starting disciplinary action,” he said...