The Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) has granted a request from Premier Thandi Modise to bring the MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, MEC for Finance and all officials involved in the management of the D-Account to fully account as it became clear that the information that they were giving the Premier was not a true reflection of the engagement they had with the Committee.
The request was granted after the Committee had called Premier Thandi Modise to account over the D-Account at a public hearing. She was expected to give the Committee a detailed report on the general management of the D Account held by the provincial government, in particular, the Bapo ba Mogale royalties paid into the D-Account, a forensic investigation report initiated by her office and the Public Protector doing the same investigation on the account.
Both MECs had failed to give the Committee a detailed account of how the D account was managed.
In her report to the Committee, the Premier said as the head of the provincial government she wants to make sure that the people of Bapo benefit from the platinum, not only on royalties but in shareholding. She said the communities must be rest assured that none of the officials whose hands would be found on the till will be spared.
"Hon Chauke, in his capacity as a former MEC is quite aware of the discomfort I had with the management of the account and the procurement processes, thus the provincial government has embarked on an investigation on the account.
"I have also met with the people of Bapo and the Public Protector and agreed that the Public Protector must do investigations on the account. She has not reported that she has finished to us or handed over any report and therefore I will not be in a position to give any report to the Committee.
"She said the provincial government will not just handover the D-account to the Public Protector as the Committee is suggesting. We are responsible for the account and therefore we are empowered to look over and investigate the D account," said the Premier.
She also suggested that an in depth investigation by people who do not have an interest in the account should be done.
Responding to the Premier's input, the Committee said they did not suggest that the provincial government should negate its responsibility but consider the fact that the Public Protector is an independent body that can do the investigation.
"The Committee's role is to assist the executive by making sure that they are accountable of the public purse appropriated to them. Our worry is that the there are people who have no remorse and are continuing to misuse the funds.
"A document that was tabled to the Committee by the Department of Finance, stated that the provincial government will spend over R60 million on the investigations. The Public Protector is already doing the investigation and therefore this money can be used for service delivery," said Committee Chair Hon Chauke.
The Premier indicated that the figures she has are different to those given to the Committee and the Public Protector.
The meetings forms part of investigations and public hearings that the Committee is embarking on with communities that are reserving royalties from mining companies in the province’s D account. The D Account is an account where all mining companies deposit royalties for traditional authorities. According the Auditor General’s office, the D account has never been audited for the past 19years.
For more information:
Namhla Luhabe
Cell: 079 527 0628
