Image via GCIS
Water and Sanitation Dept lays charges against former CEOs
Department spokesperson Yonela Diko said the were proud of the work done in rooting out corruption and promised the people of South Africa that they would stay on course until that is accomplished
Image via GCIS
The Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation has laid criminal charges against former CEOs of the Lepelle and Amatola Water Boards.
Vuyo Zitimane, CEO of Amatola Water in the Eastern Cape, is accused of irregularly awarding tenders.
Zitumane was suspended on Tuesday, 28 April 2020, however she claims she is being targeted because of a R230 million project for sand abstraction, which is a method of drawing from sandy waters.
“I am being victimised because I failed to allocate 60% of the R230m to a specific project and also failed to execute this new technology”, she told HeraldLive.
The department has said it is satisfied with the forensic investigations as they were detailed, thorough and extensive – despite taking longer than they had expected.
“The department is working very closely with law enforcement agencies and has a very strong team of lawyers to deal with all the various aspects of the cases before it. As it has been previously indicated, the department has appointed advocate Terry Motau and has now also taken the services of Prof Dario Milo and advocate Barry Roux to strengthen the legal team. Milo and Roux were very keen to join the work of fixing the various state entities within the department,” the department’s spokesperson, Yonela Diko said in a statement.
Diko further said the department would not tolerate employees engaging in wrongdoing at the expense of government.
“The department has taken a decision that it will not allow people who are employed and paid by the state to go rogue and undermine the authority of the state. The department won’t allow individuals to use institutions of government as fiefdom of corruption and embezzlement”
The department to continue rooting out corruption
Diko said people who work in public administration, including all state institutions, are expected to abide by certain rules and regulations and are expected to have a certain level of professional ethics.
“The Minister has been passionate about fighting corruption throughout her time as the member of the executive. In this particular case, she made a public commitment in Parliament upon assumption of this responsibility, and has been progressively dealing with all aspects of corruption in the department,” Diko added.
