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Thuli gets tough with all-out probe

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says she will, following a complaint by property tycoon Roux Shabangu, conduct a “full-scale investigation” into allegations of billions of rands worth of leasing irregularities at the Department of Public Works. However, Madonsela’s office said it would not suspend about 194 Pretoria leases which were concluded without going to tender. In November, Shabangu com-plained to Madonsela, saying his company had been treated unfairly. His lease agreement with the department and the police had been declared invalid, partly because it was not put out to tender. He submitted a complaint referring to at least R4 billion worth of unadvertised lease contracts, and alleged that the national figure could be as much as R300bn.

Shabangu demanded that all those contracts be investigated and suspended, in the interest of fairness. However, in a letter dated January 24, Madonsela told Shabangu that she could only suspend leases “in circumstances where the contract has just been or is about to be entered into”. Her spokeswoman, Kgalalelo Masibi said while Madonsela had initially decided to conduct a preliminary investigation, pending the outcome of discussion with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), she had now chosen to go ahead with the probe. “That meeting (with the SIU) has not taken place due to the change of leadership at the SIU. She has now decided to go ahead with a full-scale investigation,” Masibi said.

Masibi also said the Public Protector’s office had received a cash injection from the Treasury to pay the salaries of new investigators. She said the jobs were still being advertised. “The investigation will focus on maladministration because the SIU investigation is focusing on the criminal aspect. If the Public Protector picks up criminality, it will be referred to the SIU,” she said. Meanwhile, Shabangu has complained that Madonsela treated him unfairly in her SAPS Pretoria lease probe. He said he was only interviewed two days before she brought out her first draft report. “I attended a meeting with the Public Protector, my impression was that my attendance was not taken seriously and I experienced (Madonsela) to be antagonistic towards me – it was not a long meeting,” he said in an affidavit.

Shabangu said his impression was that Madonsela had “already made up her mind and that she was only going through the motions”. He added that he and his company “suffered ongoing and relentless negative publicity” as a result of Madonsela’s findings.

Source: iol.co.za

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Thuli gets tough with all-out probe

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