Tender fraud and money wasting have seemingly become a trend in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, and must be brought to an end.
Two years ago, there was the Beitbridge border fence scandal. After that there were irregularities relating to private quarantine facilities and exorbitant procurements with Covid-19, which amounted to nearly R82 million. And then there was the R76 million spent on state funerals.
And now, according to the Auditor-General (AG), extensive tender fraud was committed with rebuilding government properties that were destroyed by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year.
According to the AG, the irregularities include, among other things, tenders awarded to different companies owned by the same person; service providers who work in the public service or who are not on the government's database; quotations that were received only after work had already begun; and five tenders of more than R1 million that were all awarded to the same service provider.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is currently also investigating tenders reportedly relating to improvements to official homes and accommodation, and upgrades to the Marks and Plein Street buildings at the parliamentary premises in Cape Town.
The FF Plus pointed out in March this year that the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Ms Patricia de Lille, violated Section 27(2)(L) of the Disaster Management Act with the erection of the Beitbridge border fence.
But now it appears as if irregularities have become a trend in this Department.
The FF Plus is once again calling on the Minister to step down, seeing as she apparently has no control over her Department's spending.
Under her leadership, the Department has become corrupted to its very core. She has clearly neglected her political oversight role, and must be held fully accountable for the current state of affairs.
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