-
File: A person drinking water from a tap.
National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi has issued a stern warning to so‑called water mafias and officials within the Department of Water and Sanitation, accused of colluding with criminal networks operating in South Africa’s water sector.
Mothibi was speaking at the launch of the Water Sector Anti‑Corruption Forum in Pretoria, a joint initiative between the Department of Water and Sanitation and the Special Investigating Unit aimed at rooting out corruption that continues to plague the country’s water value chain.
The Forum will serve as a strategic platform to coordinate efforts to prevent, detect, investigate and respond to corruption within the sector, following findings that the water industry remains highly susceptible to fraud and maladministration.
Addressing stakeholders at the launch in Pretoria, Mothibi emphasises that consequence management remains the only effective deterrent against the culture of impunity that has crippled service delivery in parts of the country, warning that both criminal syndicates and complicit officials will face the full might of the law.
“The message is clear that there will be consequence management. We will act on referrals that have been made, and Mr Lekheto that you referred to, I think the number is 270 you said. Minister and DMDG, we can assure you that those referrals will be acted upon.
“We would like to ensure, as Mr Lekheto indicated, that these referrals are sent to the department to ensure that disciplinary action is taken. The DG has now assured the public that no referral will be left unattended, which is really, really pleasing to hear. From the point of view of asset recovery, we also collaborate with the SIU. We are from the NPA, and there is an Asset Forfeiture Unit which collaborates with the SIU to ensure that we leave no stone unturned. Not the other way around. So, from the asset recovery perspective, what we are saying now is that once we have taken your assets, we will ensure that we prosecute you. We will ensure that we prosecute you so that, over and above having taken your assets, you may end up in jail. That is a clear message that we are sending to the public to ensure that all this wrongdoing stops. And, Minister, as Mr Lekheto was saying in closing, this is a fundamental need of the public. If we do not act decisively, we are likely to see the perpetuation of the wrongdoing.”
Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum launch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6GQkyOCFJ4
Procurement
The Water and Sanitation Department says the focus is on areas such as procurement. The department says it is working closely with stakeholders through the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum.
The department’s Director-General Sean Phillips was speaking during the launch of the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum in Pretoria.
“All our disciplinary processes related to financial misconduct when the internal audit or forensic audit investigators find that disciplinary action is required we make sure that every single case is implemented and followed up and monitored. We follow up on all cases. We deal with every case in a fair approach and approachable manner.”
