Arms deal whistleblowers still want justice, welcome probe into judges
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JOHANNESBURG - WHISTLEBLOWERS and campaigners against the multibillion-rand arms deal have not given up on justice for taxpayers after the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) confirmed it was investigating complaints against two judges who probed the transaction.
Whistleblower Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille wants the R137 million spent on the commission headed by retired Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Willie Seriti to be recovered from evidence leaders, the lawyers and investigators it employed.
De Lille, unlike other whistleblowers, former IFP MP Dr. Gavin Woods and Terry Crawford-Browne, does not want the commission to be reinstituted.
DPWI adds DG Vukela on list to be charged with controversial Beitbridge fence
By Mayibongwe Maqhina
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Cape Town - Suspended director-general for Public Works and Infrastructure Department Sam Vukela has been added to the list of officials to be charged in connection with the controversial Beitbridge border post fence.
In March 2020, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille issued a directive to the department to appoint a service provider to use an emergency procurement process to erect the border fence on the Beitbridge border post.
However, an investigation found that the fence cost R40.4m – which consisted of R37.1m payment to the contractor and R3.25m to a professional agent – overpriced by R14m.
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Minister De Lille lashes out at ANC MP over Beitbridge fence
By Mayibongwe Maqhina
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ANC whip in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Mervyn Dirks vowed on Tuesday to play his oversight role over the executive.
This happened when Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille accused him of insinuating that she was the cause of corruption at the Beitbridge border post fence, among other things.
De Lille was leading her department to give an update on implementation of recommendations made by Scopa following their oversight visit to the Beitbridge border post last year.
During the meeting, the committee heard that suspended director-general Sam Vukela – who was earlier suspended in connection with the state funerals – has been added to the list of the implicated officials late last year.
Finalising of probe into Beit Bridge fence a painfully slow process - De Lille It’s been nearly a year since Parliament first called for consequences on the issue of the Beit Bridge border fence, which was found not fit for purpose. Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia De Lille tabling her department budget vote in Parliament on 10 July 2019. Picture: @DepPublicWorks/Twitter
2 days ago
CAPE TOWN - Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has conceded that finalising investigations into the Beit Bridge border fence had been painfully slow .
She’s been in and out of Parliament accounting for the 40 kilometre fence which cost taxpayers R37 million during the lockdown.