DURBAN – AN INVESTIGATION into the procurement of water tanks by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has cleared the department of any wrongdoing.
The report stems from an investigation into the procurement of Covid-19 essentials in the department – after claims surfaced on social media about the department having to procure tanks at unreasonable, exorbitant and inflated prices.
The SIU report further acknowledged the department was at various stages of implementing recommendations of matters of transgression as found by the auditor-general.
Already two senior managers from Supply Chain Management are on suspension and undergoing disciplinary hearings relating to allegations of facilitating cover-quoting, awarding service providers that were not tax compliant and related matters.
The SIU found "in essence, the KZN DoE did not procure the water tanks as alleged and the matter is now closed".
MEC for Education in KZN, Kwazi Mshengu welcomed the report.
"I accept the report and it reminded of one unknown author who once said the truth is like a lion, you don’t need to defend it but unleash it so that it defends itself. This report is also a necessary morale booster to all the well-meaning and credible employees who have been under severe strain and attacks since the surfacing of these allegations," Mshengu said.
He said he was committed to acting decisively against any form of corruption and warned officials never to fall into the temptation to act outside the ambit of the law.
"As I said from the first day I assumed the responsibility of being MEC, I will not co-exist with any form of corruption. I also undertook never to issue any unlawful instruction that is not consistent with the duties of the MEC. Anyone who seeks to issue any unlawful instruction under my name or that of the ANC must be reported immediately," Mshengu said.
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