Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has vowed to tackle corruption by conducting unexpected oversight visits at its offices to expose unethical practices, after the Auditor-General’s (AGSA) report found irregular expenditure of R521 million in the last financial year.
Macpherson said this earlier today, following his meeting with Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke on the department’s performance for the 2022 and 2023 financial year.
This comes after the Auditor General’s office disclosed last week that only 20% of the department’s planned targets were achieved in the 2022 and 2023 financial year.
It was further revealed that about 107 projects were significantly delayed, with a total expenditure of R3.9 million.
Some of the delays are attributed to the poor performance by the contractors appointed by the department.
In addition, it was also reported that the department continues to deliver projects of a bad quality, while they also found irregular expenditure of R521 million in the last financial year.
When compared to the 2020 and 2021 financial year, the irregular expenditure increased from R98 million to R521 million in the last financial year.
In August this year, News reported that R695 million was spent by the South African Police Service offices at Telkom Towers in Tshwane, which has been vandalised and invaded by criminals.
The SAPS bought the building in 2016, planning to use it as their head office. An additional R250 million was spent on its renovation and repairs.
In addition to that, the building has hardly been used and has remained vacant over the past eight years.
Macpherson voiced concerns about the huge increase in irregular expenditure, and expressed that he is committed to working together with Maluleke to assist the department on improving its performance and auditing processes.
“After years of adverse findings by the Auditor-General, it is important that drastic action is taken to quickly improve oversight, accounting, and reporting within the department.
“The findings that irregular expenditure jumped from R98 million in 2020 and 2021 to R521 million in 2022 and 2023 is deeply concerning because it is public money that is being wasted,” he said.
Macpherson said this will ensure that public money is spent on intended outcomes and corruption is met with consequence management.
“Working together with the AGSA will help increase the oversight within our branches to expose any malpractices, as well as help officials to improve their reporting to ensure that we can begin the journey to meeting our targets and audit outcomes within the shortest time-frame possible. It remains my commitment to build a professional public service within the department which can better serve all South Africans.”
Macpherson said the meeting forms part of other measures he has taken to address the issue of wastage of public money within the department.
He said this includes removing the ability for officials to spend up to R20 million without accounting officer approval, and requesting a skills audit at the senior management service (SMS) level to ensure the department has the necessary skills.
“The actions we are taking are part of our goal to lay a strong foundation at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to ensure we deliver on our mandate to use public assets for public good and to turn South Africa into a construction site.”
Macpherson acknowledged that “It will not be an overnight journey to resolve these problems, but it is something I am committed and determined to do at all costs”.
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