Over 1,000 civil servants face disciplinary action following SIU investigation

The Presidency has revealed that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has referred more than 1,000 civil servants for disciplinary action after concluding its investigations.

Nearly 500 individuals and companies have been recommended by the SIU to the National Treasury for blacklisting.

This emerged when the Presidency briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday on the investigation reports submitted by the SIU.

The Presidency senior official, Jonathan Timm, said there have been 33 proclamations authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa since November 2024, bringing the number to 309 since 2001.

Timm stated that 55 proclamations have been issued since the start of the seventh administration and 155 since Ramaphosa took office in February 2018.

The Presidency tracked progress on the implementation of recommendations issued by the SIU as a result of the investigations.

He told Scopa that 1,278 individuals were flagged for disciplinary action by the SIU in the tracking system.

“We record 370 as finalised, 608 are in progress, and there are 300 individuals for whom we are waiting for information in terms of progress from organs of state.”

Timm said of the finalised cases, 44 officials were dismissed from the public service.

“There are several more found guilty and subjected to less severe forms of sanctions such as demotions, suspension without pay, and written warnings.”

These include one acting head of department, three municipal managers, three acting deputy directors-general, 12 chief directors, and four chief finance officers.

Timm said their records showed that 55 officials resigned before disciplinary cases were completed.

“This is a challenge that we are seeking to address to ensure that those officials are charged should they return to the public administration,” he said.

Regarding the blacklisting of companies from trading with the state, Timm said 467 individuals and companies have been recommended by the SIU to be added to the National Treasury’s Restricted Suppliers Register.

“Currently, only one company appears on the Restricted Supplier Register.”

Timm noted that SIU referrals for blacklisting suppliers were not reaching the Restricted Supplier Database, resulting in uneven responses, delays, and resignations before disciplinary proceedings concluded.

However, there were various measures being put in place to address the concerns.

There was a central register to track dismissals and resignations with cases pending across public service.

“The minister of Public Service and Administration is working on regulations to provide regulatory environment,” he said.

Timm also said the Public Procurement Act has introduced enforceable national framework for supplier debarment and procurement transparency, but the responsibility for blacklisting of companies was with accounting officers.

“But, the National Treasury is looking at regulations to allow it to debar suppliers where there is inaction.”

Scopa chairperson Songezo Zibi noted with concern that out of 467 individuals and companies recommended to be added to the Restricted Supplier Register, only one appeared.

Zibi also raised concern that the Presidency was awaiting information on 300 disciplinary cases of officials, and there was no response to the recommendations for blacklisting of companies.

“It seems unbelievable that the Presidency will be awaiting information on 300 cases. Why do these get ignored?” asked Zibi.

He also said there was a problem of people not fearing consequences from what the Presidency wished the government to do.

“People ought to have a level of fear for the Presidency and I don’t feel it in your presentations today,” added Zibi.

EFF MP Veronica Mente-Nkuna said they were expecting the SIU recommendations to be implemented and tracked.

“It's either the Presidency recommends strong training for officials or remove people, in particular those implicated in malfeasance, maladministration, and corruption,” she said.

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong said it was the responsibility of accounting officers to blacklist companies.

“That is why the National Treasury is developing regulations to ensure this responsibility does not lie with accounting officers, but the National Treasury is able to deal with the debarment of suppliers,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za