Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) has rejected higher education minister Blade Nzimande’s request to keep a forensic report on possible corruption in the National Skills Fund (NSF) under wraps.
The report follows an investigation ordered by Scopa into R2.5bn the entity could not account for in the 2019/2020 financial year and was completed in March.
MPs across the spectrum, supported by legal advice received from parliament’s legal services, rejected Nzimande’s request. Instead, they called for urgency in processing the report and its recommendations, including involving law enforcement agencies.
ANC MP Nokuzola Tolashe called on Scopa to rope in the SIU to help the committee in “looking closer” into what is in the yet-to-be published report.
“We are now aware that the report was received in March and little or nothing was done by the department. We are not convinced anything different will be done,” she said.
The EFF’s Ntombovuyo Mente agreed, saying not only the SIU should be brought on board, but also the Hawks.
Mente dismissed Nzimande’s request for confidentiality, saying even the Zondo commission into state capture, which investigated huge levels of corruption, was held in public.
“If you are investigating public funds the public has a right to know. If anyone feels they are prejudiced they can go to court and challenge it.
“Our work cannot be stopped and the public cannot be closed off to knowing what is happening in respect of public funds.”
Alexandra Beukes of the ANC said Nzimande’s department was yet to engage people named in the report after almost six months, which shows “there’s no urgency to address and conclude it”.
“That is unacceptable. Transparency and accountability are crucial for effective and clean governance. If we want to ensure reliable and quality basic service we need to conduct our oversight without fear.”
The committee decided to proceed with NSF matters and the department will be given an opportunity to present its action plan on the implementation of the report's findings or recommendations to the committee.
“This investigation was our initiative. It was embarked upon or initiated at our behest as this committee. I think that is very important to be understood,” said committee chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa. “It was after our deliberations, assessments and interactions with the department in so far as the NSF is concerned that we arrived at a determination that the incessant disclaimers warranted an investigation.”
Scopa’s previous attempts to obtain the report were unsuccessful and on one occasion had to postpone its meeting at the eleventh hour because Nzimande was out of the country. On another occasion, the department presented only a summary of the report, citing internal legal advice not to share it due to the sensitivity of making public names of implicated officials or service providers.
On Monday, Nzimande shared the report with Hlengwa, but attached a note asking the committee to treat it as confidential because his department was yet to engage the people named in the report. He said this was in line with parliamentary rules.
“I want to reiterate that all the people whose names are mentioned in the report have not been engaged at all while the department is still finalising its internal processes.
“I submit that our request for confidentiality is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society like ours and would not want to be the ones violating people’s rights to a fair trial,” said Nzimande.
While parliament rules provide for publication of reports to the public and the media, they make an exception for certain confidential documents and those that contain information of a private nature that could be prejudicial to a particular person. There are processes that are followed in this regard.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.