MAHIKENG - The North West provincial government is taking a stand against corruption and fraud, Premier Job Mokgoro said on Friday.
Delivering the State of the Province Address (Sopa), Mokgoro said top senior and executive mangers have been suspended and were facing disciplinary action.
"The head of department for public works and roads has been suspended and is facing disciplinary action related to serious financial misconduct," he said.
"The head of department for health is currently facing a disciplinary hearing for serious financial irregularity. An additional five officials in the department of health are facing disciplinary charges linked to fraud, corruption and transgression of Treasury regulations and the PFMA involving more than R 350 million."
He said two chief directors in the office of the premier have been suspended on charges linked to irregular payments in relation to the Nepo Data Dynamics ICT contract.
"Investigations against 11 other officials in the office of the premier are currently underway," he said.
"The departments of education and sports development and community safety and transport management report that while no formal charges have yet been
put to employees, investigations are underway, and consequence management is imminent."
He said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) was handling 49 cases involving theft, fraud and contraventions of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004, related to the North West province.
Ten of these cases were on the court roll for trial, 21 cases were pending decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), 15 cases were pending investigation, while the NPA declined to prosecute three cases.
The total amount involved in these cases was R2.497 billion, he said.
"The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is handling 44 matters involving procurement irregularities, maladministration, theft of state properties, irregular sales of state shares and properties, interference by the executive in the administration, shoddy work by contractors and payments for services not rendered," he said.