Parliament official is set to face censure

Published May 28, 2012

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The writing may be on the wall for Secretary to Parliament Zingile Dingani.

Parliament’s oversight authority has considered and accepted the recommendations made by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe in a report on his probe into a loan of R186 000 that was advanced to Dingani.

The money was spent on beefing up security by building a perimeter wall at Dingani’s home in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.

Dingani and Parliament’s chief financial officer, Leslie Mondo, voluntarily went on paid leave to allow the investigation to take place.

The report was tabled at a special meeting of the Parliamentary Oversight Authority, a statement issued by Parliament said.

“Parliament will formally engage with Mr Dingani and the chief finance officer, Leslie Mondo, regarding the processes to follow. A statement in this regard will be issued in due course after this.”

The auditor-general’s report will not be made public in order to protect staff members who had taken part in the investigation and who were named in the report, senior officials said on Sunday.

The advance paid to Dingani in December was apparently with the knowledge and permission of National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu.

It sparked an outcry, with the ANC and opposition parties calling for an investigation. MPs wanted to know why Dingani, who earns a salary of nearly R2 million a year, had been given an interest-free loan by Parliament instead of finding his own finance to improve security at his residence.

The matter was referred to the auditor-general to investigate whether the advance was awarded contrary to any legal or policy stipulation.

“Parliament also sought, through this process, to enable itself to strengthen and/or implement the necessary measures and steps to ensure effective accounting and internal control systems,” the statement said.

No policy regarding security for top parliamentary officials exists.

Political Bureau

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