The KwaZulu-Natal department of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs has been described as a ticking time bomb with claims that if the situation persists, it might be brought to its knees.
The shocking revelations were made by the DA, the second-biggest opposition party in the provincial legislature.
The party explained that widespread corruption in the department warranted the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to intervene and investigate the alleged malfeasance.
“The allegations supported by documents include funding supposedly for billboards in the province being spent on expensive gifts paid for in cash,” said Francois Rodgers, the leader of the DA in the provincial legislature.
“[The allegations also include] funding being moved from critical programmes to cover the R28-million Sama [South African Music Awards] and runaway expenditure on the event in defiance of the treasury’s cost-cutting instructions.”
Money siphoned by senior officials
Another claim made by the blue party is that some entities under the department are being run to the ground and are barely functioning with money being siphoned by senior officials and cronies for their own personal use.
“While the DA acknowledges that the information received is based on allegations, the contents are staggering and warrant intense scrutiny by the SIU,” said Rodgers.
Sunday World understands that other allegations brought before the SIU are that taxpayers allegedly footed the bill for the purchase of a new vehicle for a girlfriend of a departmental senior official, and the alleged payment of a service provider for an event that did not take place.
Also, a female employee was also allegedly recruited to serve a 24-month internship but only worked for three months before being parachuted to a senior position within the department of economic development.
The department is headed by Siboniso Duma as a political principal. Duma is also the governing ANC chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal.
