Ramaphosa signs sweeping SIU proclamations to probe irregular governance

Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed proclamations authorising the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) to start investigating various issues at a number of municipalities and government departments.

The Presidency in a statement on Friday said Ramaphosa had signed numerous proclamations that will allow the SIU to investigate several governance matters in terms of section 2 (1) of the SIU and Special Tribunal Act, 1996.

The investigations are broad and most of the areas to be probed relate to municipalities.

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The SIU will probe the following:

* Serious irregularities in relation to the procurement of goods and/or services in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective contrary to the applicable legal framework;

* Improper or unlawful conduct by employees or officials;

* Unlawful appropriation of expenditure or public money or property

* Unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having a bearing upon State property;

* Intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property and

* unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public or any category thereof.