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Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate certain matters in respect of the affairs of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Treasury.
The authorisation is in terms of the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunals Act, according to a statement from the Presidency on Friday.
The proclamation authorises the SIU to investigate the appointment of service providers to render consultancy services to the Internal Audit and Infrastructure and Economic Development Unit of the provincial treasury "in a manner that was not fair competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective".
It further authorises the unit to investigate any unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the provincial treasury or the state in respect of the appointment of the service providers.
Fraud, corruption, irregularities, malpractices or maladministration regarding the affairs of the treasury in relation to the appointment of service providers or the administration of the Municipal Finance Support Programme, can also be investigated.
The SIU is allowed to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the treasury; improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the treasury; and unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property.
Zuma authorised a similar investigation in June 2014, where the SIU had to investigate allegations that treasury officials irregularly contracted a service provider for the municipal infrastructure intervention programme.
The proclamation at that time also pertained to allegations of wasteful, unauthorised or irregular spending by the treasury on the Durban International North Sea Jazz Festival, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, and commemorating prisoners of war on St Helena.
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