President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of maladministration
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of maladministration and possible unlawful conduct in training contracts linked to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), involving more than 7,000 learners nationwide.
This comes after the President signed Proclamation 316 of 2026, granting the SIU powers to investigate the awarding and management of the training contracts and determine whether public funds were properly spent.
"The SIU will investigate allegations of maladministration within the institutions and any resulting losses or prejudice they may have suffered. This includes issues related to the delivery of Election Observer Training, End-User Computing Training, and 'PSIRA Grade E to C' Training provided to 7,071 targeted learners across nine provinces," the corruption watchdog said.
"The SIU will seek to establish whether the payments were made in a manner that is fair, competitive, transparent, equitable and cost-effective."
The SIU added that it will also investigate any related wrongdoing linked to the same contracts or individuals, even if it occurred outside the stated period.
It said any evidence of criminal activity will be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority. The unit also said it may approach the courts to set aside unlawful contracts and recover money lost by the state.
"The investigation will cover allegations that occurred between 1 January 2019 and the date of publication of the Proclamation, 3 June 2026. The SIU is also authorised to investigate related matters that occurred before or after this period where they are connected to the issues identified in the Proclamation, including the same individuals, entities or contracts."
The corruption watchdog also said that, "in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No. 74 of 1996), the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during the investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action."
"The SIU is further authorised to institute civil proceedings in the High Court or the Special Tribunal to set aside unlawful contracts, recover financial losses suffered by the state, and correct any wrongdoing identified during the investigation."
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