The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has pledged its support to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) as the corruption-busting unit investigates allegations of serious maladministration and improper or unlawful conduct in the affairs of the department.
This after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the SIU to conduct an investigation into procurement in relation to four specific project funding agreements for vaccine research and development.
Vaccine contracts
The unit said the contracts were entered into by or on behalf of the department’s entities. These are the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
“As the [DSTI], we remain committed to upholding clean and ethical governance within the department and its entities. And therefore, we pledge to support the SIU in conducting its work.
“We also wish to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that our country develops sustainable and sovereign vaccine manufacturing capacity,” the DSTI said on Monday.
The department added that it is “fully aware of the issues referred to in the SIU’s proclamation”.
Department pledges cooperation
“Over the past several months, under the leadership of the Director-General, the department has been involved in an internal process to proactively establish the veracity and where relevant, address the alleged irregularities relating to the specific contractual agreements mentioned in the SIU Proclamation.
“This process is on-going,” it said.
The SIU has had busy year in 2025, recovering money and assets obtained unlawfully from state resources. Notably the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) funds, whose beneficiaries included celebrities Minnie Dlamini and Arthur Mafokate.
The latest celebrity in the SIU firing line is the late actor Presley Chweneyagae. The corruption-busting agency obtained a court order to attach his Pretoria house, which was purchased with funds from the NLC.
- SAnews.gov.za
