Graft investigator implicated in own probe

A woman who headed a probe into allegations of corruption at the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) has herself become the focus of an investigation. She allegedly colluded with the head of the housing watchdog she was investigating. Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said on Tuesday that Vanessa Somiah had been entrusted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), where she had been head of housing probes for five years, with the investigation into allegations of graft at the NHBRC. It had now come to light that Somiah, during the investigation, had been offered or had applied for a senior post in the NHBRC, allegedly in collusion with the chief executive officer of the council, Sipho Mashinini, who was among those she was to have investigated. The SIU is now probing both. Mashinini has been given a final written warning pending an NHBRC board decision on whether the allegations against him warrant dismissal or legal action.

Further allegations have been levelled against him, but NHBRC board chairman Vukile Mehana said he could not give details of these as the matter was sub judice. Somiah, who is now employed by the NHBRC and earns R1.6 million – almost twice her salary at the SIU – is on special leave. Allegations of conflict of interest and corruption are being investigated against her. Sexwale said it was “not only devious but shocking to realise how some of those in authority in our campaign against corruption can undertake such reprehensible measures to undermine this fight”. “In my book this is inducement and corruption. Bribery takes many forms and this is bribery,” he said. The department had given the SIU a mandate to investigate corruption in the housing sector. It had been examining R2 billion in “questionable” housing contracts. Sexwale said the SIU had produced a report in which there were serious discrepancies that warranted analysis.

“I simply could not, with a clear conscience, release the report – it had too many holes that required too many answers to too many questions. It was quite clear that the report was whitewashed,” said Sexwale. SIU head Willie Hofmeyr said Somiah had produced the report, which concluded that the allegations of corruption against a number of officials, including Mashinini and the former chairwoman of the board – who subsequently resigned but remained under investigation – could not be substantiated. “The information given to Somiah was not properly investigated or at all,” he said. The SIU was reviewing the housing report, Hofmeyr said. The review was expected to be completed within two or three months. The initial investigation came after members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) lodged complaints. Several other whistleblowers and DA MP Butch Steyn also raised concerns about possible conflicts of interest and corruption at the NHBRC. Cosatu is putting the final touches to its corruption watchdog – an independent body that is to investigate corruption.

Its general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, has said the watchdog is to be a “safe haven” where Cosatu members and other whistleblowers may report cases. The NHBRC appointed Somiah in May and within weeks, while taking disciplinary action against its employees, listed her as a witness against some of these employees who had been whistleblowers while Somiah was at the SIU. Sexwale said Mashinini had appointed Somiah head of enforcement and compliance, a new post created in irregular fashion and without the minister’s approval.