20 civil servants facing probes for doing business with the state

A list with the names of 20 public servants who may have contravened the Public Administration Management Act has been referred to authorities for investigation and possible prosecution.

This is according to a written reply to a question from DA MP Leon Schreiber by Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu. Schreiber asked the minister if any action had been taken against public servants who have done business with the state – as as this contravenes Section 8 of the Act.

Certain sections of the Act, including Section 8, came into the effect on March 18, 2019, after President Cyril Ramaphosa assented to it.

According to Mchunu, the employees have not been axed, but their cases have been put forward for investigation.

“No public service employees were prosecuted or fined for contravening Section 8 of the specified Act,” the minister said.

However, he added, in June the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) referred a list of the implicated employees to both the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service and the National Director of Public Prosecutions for investigation and possible prosecutions.

“No public service employee has had their employment terminated for contravening Section 8 of the Act; as the identified cases still need to be investigated,” the minister said.