Johannesburg - The committee on public accounts in Parliament has said it was not satisfied with the slow progress in a probe into unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure at the Department of Water and Sanitation and at water trading entities.
The department is investigating the allegedly irregular awarding of scores of contracts which Human Settlements, Sanitation and Water Minister Lindiwe Sisulu earlier this month said involved about R16.5 billion in irregular expenditure.
In a statement issued late on Tuesday, Parliament's public accounts committee said it would liaise with the Public Service Commission to eliminate the possibility of officials who either faced disciplinary action, resigned, or were dismissed as a result of misconduct, fraud or corruption being hired in other state departments or entities.
"The committee plans to meet with the Special Investigating Unit and other law enforcement agencies to fully understand the progress of the investigations currently taking place in the department," it said.
It said it would ask the auditor-general to conduct a special audit as there was evidence that the finances of water boards were not being run in accordance with proper accounting practices.
It also intended to hold a hearing with the water and sanitation department on the basis of its financial statements and annual report.
"The committee will schedule hearings separately with the various water boards, particularly the ones which have been flagged due to high amounts of irregularity, wasteful and fruitless expenditure such as Amatola water board and Sedibeng water board among others," the Parliament committee added.