The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) will be calling the Minister of Public Works and the department to Parliament in the next few weeks to give a progress report on all misconduct cases.
Mr Themba Godi, Chairperson of SCOPA, said the Committee will ask the Minister and his department to share with Parliament the progress made in terms of identifying the culprits and explain what action or steps have been taken against them so far.
“For a long time, we have been worried as the Committee about lack of action against wrongdoers. This has made people to be very brazen in their misuse and abuse of public funds,” said Mr Godi. The Committee is focusing on fruitless and irregular expenditure as picked up by the Auditor-General in his 2011/12 financial year report. SCOPA is very concerned about the high amounts relating to fruitless and irregular expenditure.
The unaudited total amount of irregular expenditure of the Department of Public Works as at 31 March 2013 was R973 954 493 and the unaudited total amounts of irregular expenditure for the Department’s Property Management Trading Entity as at 31 March 2013 is R2 608 192 032. “These figures demonstrate that the rot in the department runs deep and will require sustained focus and action. Our continuous engagement with the department will ensure that action is taken against the culprits,” said Mr Godi.
The Committee has expressed its appreciation for the manner in which the department has been transparent regarding its challenges. The Committee further appreciates the efforts by the Minister, Mr Thulas Nxesi.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Faith Kwaza, Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 072 122 0371
Tel: 021 403 8062
E-mail: fkwaza@parliament.gov.za
