President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate alleged corruption, maladministration and irregular expenditure linked to a controversial Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) training programme meant to equip more than 7 000 unemployed South Africans with security industry and computer skills.
The investigation, published in Government Gazette 54771 this week, focuses on procurement and payments linked to a tender dating back to 2019 involving the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
At the centre of the probe is a programme intended to provide election observer training, end-user computing training and “PSIRA Grade E to C” security training to 7 071 learners across all nine provinces.
According to the proclamation, the SIU will investigate whether the procurement and contracting processes were conducted in a manner that was “fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective”.
Unlawful expenditure of public funds
The investigation will also examine allegations of unlawful expenditure of public funds, maladministration, irregular transactions involving state property and possible improper conduct by officials, employees and service providers.
The proclamation empowers the SIU to investigate conduct dating back to January 1 2019 until June 3 2026, including related matters connected to the same individuals, entities or contracts.
Prosecution for criminal conduct
In a statement issued on Thursday, SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho confirmed that investigators would probe the procurement of training services and any losses suffered by the state.
“The SIU will seek to establish whether the payments made were made in a manner that is fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective,” said Makgotho.
He said the SIU would also investigate whether there was “improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees; unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property; irregular or unauthorised transactions involving state property; intentional or negligent losses of public funds”.
Makgotho said any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during the investigation would be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for possible prosecution.
Unlawful contracts to be set aside
The SIU is also authorised to institute civil proceedings in the High Court or Special Tribunal to recover financial losses suffered by the state and set aside unlawful contracts.
The proclamation follows growing scrutiny over governance and procurement processes within PSIRA, particularly regarding large-scale training initiatives funded through the UIF.
The UIF programme was intended to equip unemployed South Africans with security industry qualifications and related skills to improve employability in one of the country’s largest labour sectors.
PSIRA spokesperson Bonang Kleinbooi promised to respond to our media questions on the matter.
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorized the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate alleged corruption and irregular expenditure linked to a UIF training program for over 7,000 unemployed South Africans.
- The probe focuses on procurement and payments related to a 2019 tender involving the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) and the UIF, targeting security and computer skills training.
- The SIU will evaluate whether contracting processes were fair, transparent, competitive, and cost-effective, and will investigate unlawful spending, maladministration, and irregular transactions.
- Investigations will cover conduct from January 2019 to June 2026, with any criminal findings referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for possible prosecution and potential civil actions to recover state losses.
- The investigation comes amid increased scrutiny of PSIRA governance and UIF-funded training programs aimed at improving employment prospects in the security sector.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special
At the centre of the probe is a programme intended to provide election observer training, end-user computing training and “PSIRA Grade E to C” security training to 7 071 learners across all nine provinces.
In a statement issued on
“
He said the SIU would also investigate whether there was “improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees; unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property; irregular or unauthorised transactions involving state property; intentional or negligent losses of public funds”.
PSIRA spokesperson
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
