• President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed two proclamations authorising the SIU to investigate the Department of Home Affairs and PRASA.
• The SIU will investigate allegations of serious maladministration, as well as unlawful conduct by officials and employees at both entities.
• The Special Investigating Unit will also look to recover any financial losses suffered by the State.

The ANC-led South African government is a frenzy of activity this election year, with the latest efforts related to identifying corruption within State-owned entities. More specifically, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed two proclamations authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the Department of Home Affairs and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

The SIU will be looking into allegations of serious maladministration at both entities, as well as reports of improper or unlawful conduct by officials and employees at Home Affairs and PRASA.

It will also aim to recover any financial losses suffered by the State, should a means to do so be discovered during said investigations.

Unpacking the proclamations, with regard to the Home Affairs, the SIU will be investigating allegations on how official documentation has been issued.

In particular, it will look at, “permanent residence permits; corporate visas; business visas; critical/exceptional skills work visas; study visas; retired persons’ visas; work visas; and citizenship by naturalisation, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2002; the South African Citizenship Act, 1995; manuals, guidelines, circulars, practice notes or instructions applicable to Home Affairs; or manuals, policies, procedures, prescripts, instructions or practices of or applicable to the Department,” Proclamation 154 of 2024 explains.

How long the investigation will take remains to be seen, but the SIU will be investigating events and activities over a period of 20 years – 12th October 2004 to 16th February 2024 – according to the proclamation.

As for PRASA, the SIU has been empowered to investigate allegations of corruption when it comes to the awarding of tenders.

Here it will, “probe offences that were committed against the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004 in connection with the affairs of PRASA in relation to the award of tenders for the supply of various train locomotives to Swifambo Rail Leasing Pty Ltd, and the supply and maintenance of an integrated security access management system at various train stations to Siyangena Technologies Pty Ltd,” Proclamation 153 of 2024 highlights.

“The SIU will also investigate serious maladministration in the affairs of PRASA relating to fraudulent liability claims processed and paid by PRASA’s Group Insurance Department, including claims paid as one time vendor payments. The probe will also extend to employment of ghost employees identified by PRASA’s Project Zivese in August 2021,” it continues.

While not as wide a window, the investigation will look at a period of 14 years – 1st January 2010 to 16th February 2024.

No deadline or timeframe has been shared as to when the SIU is expected to complete its investigation, nor when any findings need to be presented, but we hope that this pair of proclamations have not simply been made to impress voters in an election year and that those found of corruption are brought to justice.

[Image – Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash]