President Cyril Ramaphosa SIU

The SIU denies being used by Ramaphosa to settle political scores

SIU denies being used to fight Ramaphosa’s political battles

Some ANC KZN members are reportedly concerned that President Cyril Ramaphosa is using the SIU to target his detractors in the province

President Cyril Ramaphosa SIU

The SIU denies being used by Ramaphosa to settle political scores

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is hitting back at suggestions that it is being used by President Cyril Ramaphosa to target his detractors in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), as an article by IOL had suggested.

Ramaphosa recently signed proclamations authorising the SIU to look into allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of 11 government departments, including the KZN transport department and the Newcastle Municipality.

The publication reported that some ANC structures in the province have questioned the timing of the investigation and implied that Ramaphosa may be intentionally targeting them.

In a statement, the SIU has slammed IOL for the contents of its article as well as headline, saying in part: “The headline and the article are misleading the public and is not based on facts. Therefore, the SIU refutes, with the contempt that it deserves, the inference that that it is being used as a political tool by anyone. The SIU work independently without any fear, favour or prejudice. All our investigations are allegation based as we get the allegation from whistleblowers”

SIU: ‘KZN IS NOT SINGLED OUT’

The SIU, which reports to President Cyril Ramaphosa, further said that KZN was not being singled out in its investigations as other government departments in other provinces are also being probed. The body is headed by Advocate Andy Mothibi.

“It is therefore concerning that, of the 14 government departments that the SIU has been authorized to investigate in the current proclamations; only four are in KwaZulu Natal (KZN).These investigations include the provincial department of health, like all other provinces, the KZN transport department, the Newcastle Local Municipality and the procurement of blankets at the KZN’s South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office. The article only singles out the KZN. We are investigating multiple government departments, institutions and State entities all over the country. KZN is not singled out in our investigations”

Special Investigating Unit

IOL had cited the ANC Youth League co-ordinator in KZN, Mafika Damane Mndebele, who said they were concerned that the investigation was focused on municipalities and departments led by the provincial leaders who were elected at the recent provincial conference. Allies of Ramaphosa lost to the so-called ‘Taliban’ faction of the ANC, which is sympathetic to former president Jacob Zuma.

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