Public Protector ‘inundated’ by mountainous COVID-19 corruption caseload

The office of South Africa’s Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has been so severely inundated with complaints of widespread corruption, tenderpreneurship and service delivery maladministration relating to the COVID-19 pandemic to the extent that it has now assigned various task teams to separate provinces to investigate the looting. 

The office released a statement on Monday 3 August in which they outlined the heap of grievances submitted to them by South African citizens and officials, and made it clear that the exploitation of the COVID-19 pandemic runs deeper than anyone imagined. 

SRD grant distribution failures

Of all of the complaints submitted to Mkhwebane’s office, service delivery failure relating to the distribution of the R350-a-month special social relief of distress (SRD) grant by the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Securities Agency (SASSA) are the most prevalent.

“Service failure allegations account for a lion’s share of the grievances, with as many as 450 people having approached the office to complain about what they deem unreasonable grounds for declining their applications for R350-a-month special social relief of distress grant,” said the office of the Public Protector.  

She said that the grant, which was announced in April as aid for the unemployed who did not already receive any other social grant or Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits, has been denied to applicants who are struggling to understand why they are not deemed eligible for the relief. 

“In most cases, the complainants either allege that they were not provided with reasons as to why their applications were unsuccessful or that the applications were declined on the basis that the applicants were found to be recipients of some form of income or that they qualified for UIF, which they disputed.”

Mpumalanga quarantine facility ‘a health hazard’

The office then described shocking conditions at a Mpumalanga quarantine facility, where the complainant described a lack of basic provisions such as food and toilet paper, and said the facility is a health hazard. 

“In Mpumalanga, the office is investigation alleged tender irregularities in the awarding of a Quarantine Camp tender. It has been alleged that the Zithabeseni facility, which got the contract, is dilapidated and a health hazard for everyone who is under quarantine at the premises,” they said. 

“The complaint further alleged that there has been no provision for necessities such as food and toilet papers at the facility.”

They added that in Kwazulu-Natal (KZN), there have been further complaints about dodgy procurement of Personal protective Equipment (PPE), this time relating to contracts issued by the provincial Department of Education. 

“In KwaZulu-Natal, the office is probing allegations of irregularities in the procurement of Person Protective Equipment (PPE) by the provincial department of Education. It has been alleged that the department procured the PPE at inflated prices.”

COVID-19 related corruption reported all over South Africa  

The corruption is being reported all over the country, having spread cancerously since March. In the Eastern Cape, Mkhwebane is looking into allegations that a lodge which is being used as a quarantine site for COVID-19 is owned by a Member of the Executive Council, as well as alleged irregularities in respect of the R400 million e-learning equipment (tablets) tender taken out by the provinces Education department. 

And lest we forget the controversial scooter project.

“The Public Protector has also embarked on an own-initiative investigation into allegations of maladministration, improper conduct and the misappropriation of public funds by the Eastern Cape Department of Health in relation to the medical scooters project,” they said. 

The statement went on to categorise a seemingly endless array of corruption allegations that have seeped into some of the most obscure channels of service deliver. They cited complaints regarding the provision of water and sanitation, the repatriation of expats from overseas, waste management, distribution of food parcels, access to housing, access to health, customary initiations, and cultural practices and practices and precautionary measures to mitigate employee health and safety risks. 

“A Steering Committee consisting of 10 Senior Investigators, who are led by an Executive Manager, has been set up to focus on COVID-19 related matters,” the office said. 

Corruption top of the agenda as PP meets with ministers  

Commenting on the increasing claims of abuse of public resources in the name of the pandemic, Mkhwebane said that her department would be leaving no stone unturned in resolving the issues. 

“We have been consistent in our call on the bureaucracy to exercise prudence when it comes to spending public funds on COVID-19 related goods and services. We have stressed that deviation from the normal procurement processes is not a declaration of an open season to pillage. We are looking at a few other matters in which we may launch own-initiative investigations.”

The Public Protector will meet with Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, as well as Human Settlements minister Lindiwe Sisulu and COGTA minister Nkozasana Dlamini-Zuma to discuss their respective departments role in the catastrophic service delivery failures. 

She will also meet with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, the Auditor General (AG), and Special Investigation Unit (SIU).