Over 400 financial misconduct allegations investigated by Water and Sanitation

THE Department of Water and Sanitation's internal audit unit investigated a total of 446 allegations of financial misconduct over the past five years.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

Briefing the Standing Committee on Public Accounts yesterday, the department's director-general Sean Phillips said the investigations confirmed 326 of the allegations while 120 were deemed unfounded and 73 were currently under investigation.

“Seven cases have not yet been investigated as they were received recently,” he said.

Phillips also said finalised cases were referred to the department's employee relations unit to take disciplinary action against officials who committed financial and other acts of misconduct, and SAPS and the Hawks for criminal investigation.

There were also cases referred to the department's legal services for civil recovery in instances where the department suffered financial loss.

Phillips stated that for the 326 cases confirmed to be true, most of the disciplinary processes have been completed and the remainder was still in progress.

“The disciplinary processes resulted in various sanctions against the transgressors. These sanctions included dismissal, demotion, suspension without pay and written letters.”