President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed Proclamation 257 of 2025, authorising the SIU to investigate corruption, maladministration, and financial misconduct in seven high-value tenders issued by Mbombela municipality.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed Proclamation 257 of 2025, authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of serious maladministration, irregular expenditure, and corruption involving multiple tenders within the Mbombela Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.
The proclamation empowers the SIU to recover any losses suffered by the state and to act against implicated individuals or entities.
The investigation will focus on procurement and contracting related to seven specific tenders awarded between 2015 and 2025.
These include tenders for legal services, engineering projects, low-cost housing under the RDP, water infrastructure, and energy efficiency initiatives. The SIU will scrutinise whether the procurement processes violated legal requirements, including fairness, transparency, competitiveness, and cost-effectiveness.
According to Kaizer Kganyago, spokesperson for the Special Investigating Unit, “The SIU will probe any related unauthorised, irregular, fruitless or wasteful expenditure incurred by the municipality or state in relation to the tenders.”
The investigation will also seek to uncover any unlawful payments received by the municipality, misappropriation of funds, or improper conduct by municipal officials, suppliers, or any other parties involved.
The proclamation covers alleged misconduct between February 16, 2015, and May 2, 2025, including related events before and after this period if connected to the contracts, individuals, or entities in question.
Beyond exposing corruption, the SIU aims to identify systemic failures within the municipality and recommend reforms to prevent future losses.
“In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during its investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action,” Kganyago said.
The SIU is also empowered under the Act to initiate civil proceedings in the High Court or the Special Tribunal to recover misappropriated public funds.
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