Three Gauteng senior officials face dismissal after failed lifestyle audits
According to Lesufi, the officials failed to adequately respond to concerns raised in the audit reports, which form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public service.
Lesufi revealed that 37% of officials assessed through the lifestyle audit process were flagged as high-risk or non-compliant.
ALSO READ: Gauteng Health empowers staff with training to enhance patient care
The affected HODs were given an opportunity to explain the discrepancies, but their responses failed to meet the audit requirements.
'I received the final reports from the SIU, and of the four outstanding cases, three returned negative outcomes. Based on these findings, I have instructed the Director-General to initiate the process of their removal,' he said.
The lifestyle audits focus on identifying discrepancies between officials' declared lifestyles and their known income, aiming to detect potential financial misconduct or undeclared interests. The audits form part of a broader effort to improve governance in the province.
Lesufi added that lifestyle audits will now be prioritised for officials working in supply chain and financial management roles across all Gauteng departments and public entities.
ALSO READ: Gauteng Health invests R100 million in hospital upgrades
The Office of the Premier will be the starting point for this expanded review, with investigators currently processing documents and conducting third-party verifications.
In addition to the lifestyle audit initiative, Lesufi said that 47 completed forensic reports have been made public.
These were compiled by the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Office of the Public Protector. They form part of a broader set of 177 reports, with the remainder to be released once finalised.
The published reports detail a range of alleged irregularities, including the abuse of state resources, unauthorised expenditure, procurement violations, fraud, unfair labour practices, and personnel irregularities. Many of the reports date back several years and involve multiple departments.
Lesufi clarified that these reports were previously under departmental review and were not being withheld by the Office of the Premier, as had been suggested in some quarters.
To ensure accountability, a monitoring committee has been established within the Office of the Premier.
ALSO READ: Gauteng MEC's food parcel cuts spark NPO protests
It will track the implementation of recommendations from the reports, including efforts to recover misused public funds. Departments are required to submit quarterly updates on corrective actions taken.
Lesufi also confirmed ongoing collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to support the recovery of assets linked to irregular conduct.
According to the provincial government, the lifestyle audits and forensic investigations form part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance, reduce financial irregularities, and restore public trust in government operations.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
10 hours ago
- The Citizen
Gauteng HODs to be removed after SIU lifestyle audit findings
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that three heads of department (HODs) will be removed from their positions following the outcomes of lifestyle audits conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). According to Lesufi, the officials failed to adequately respond to concerns raised in the audit reports, which form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the public service. Lesufi revealed that 37% of officials assessed through the lifestyle audit process were flagged as high-risk or non-compliant. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health empowers staff with training to enhance patient care The affected HODs were given an opportunity to explain the discrepancies, but their responses failed to meet the audit requirements. 'I received the final reports from the SIU, and of the four outstanding cases, three returned negative outcomes. Based on these findings, I have instructed the Director-General to initiate the process of their removal,' he said. The lifestyle audits focus on identifying discrepancies between officials' declared lifestyles and their known income, aiming to detect potential financial misconduct or undeclared interests. The audits form part of a broader effort to improve governance in the province. Lesufi added that lifestyle audits will now be prioritised for officials working in supply chain and financial management roles across all Gauteng departments and public entities. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health invests R100 million in hospital upgrades The Office of the Premier will be the starting point for this expanded review, with investigators currently processing documents and conducting third-party verifications. In addition to the lifestyle audit initiative, Lesufi said that 47 completed forensic reports have been made public. These were compiled by the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Office of the Public Protector. They form part of a broader set of 177 reports, with the remainder to be released once finalised. The published reports detail a range of alleged irregularities, including the abuse of state resources, unauthorised expenditure, procurement violations, fraud, unfair labour practices, and personnel irregularities. Many of the reports date back several years and involve multiple departments. Lesufi clarified that these reports were previously under departmental review and were not being withheld by the Office of the Premier, as had been suggested in some quarters. To ensure accountability, a monitoring committee has been established within the Office of the Premier. ALSO READ: Gauteng MEC's food parcel cuts spark NPO protests It will track the implementation of recommendations from the reports, including efforts to recover misused public funds. Departments are required to submit quarterly updates on corrective actions taken. Lesufi also confirmed ongoing collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to support the recovery of assets linked to irregular conduct. According to the provincial government, the lifestyle audits and forensic investigations form part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance, reduce financial irregularities, and restore public trust in government operations. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
18 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Acquitted: three Chinese nationals escape legal clutches in R100-million perlemoen smuggling case
Cold storage, pig stomachs and 40 tons of perlemoen weren't enough to land convictions in one of South Africa's biggest marine smuggling cases. On Tuesday, the accused walked — and the State was left empty-handed. Despite a four-year investigation, multiple arrests and more than 40 tons of confiscated illegal perlemoen, three Chinese nationals accused of running a R100-million abalone smuggling racket were acquitted on all charges in the Gqeberha Division of the High Court on Monday, 30 June 2025. In 2018, the Hawks intercepted shipping containers filled with perlemoen in the port of Port Elizabeth. These were quickly linked to several other containers in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, forming what investigators believed was a strong case against the owners of a Cape Town-based seafood import company. About 40 tons of perlemoen, found hidden in tripe and pig stomachs in cold storage containers, were allegedly linked back to Blue Fin Marine Trading, owned by husband and wife Kai Ou Yang and Hsien-Chu Ou Yang, along with the manager of the company, the wife's younger brother Chu-Kai Peter Chang. However, on Monday Judge Fungile Dotwana found the State had not linked any of the accused directly to the alleged racket, and acquitted them on all charges against them. 'None of the three accused were proven to be in physical possession of perlemoen… and they vehemently denied any involvement in the illicit perlemoen trade. 'Looking at the totality of the evidence, the State has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,' Dotwana said before excusing the accused from the dock. A trail of containers and cold storage facilities The case before court centred around the activities of Blue Fin, a company founded in 2005 that supplied restaurants and supermarkets in and around Cape Town with imported seafood. It was alleged that the company experienced some financial difficulties and looked for avenues to expand its business. One such option was to export beef and other meat products from South Africa to various ports around the world. However, the State alleged that this was little more than a ruse to cover the illegal export of perlemoen. After receiving information that led to the initial discovery in Gqeberha of 158 boxes of perlemoen hidden among pig stomachs in a container linked back to Blue Fin, the Hawks' investigation attempted to connect the dots between this container and several others across the country. In February 2017 two illegal perlemoen processing facilities in Cape Town were added to the list. In Killarney 28,733 units of perlemoen were recovered, and in Montague Gardens a further 12,266 units were found. Two weeks later, three tons of perlemoen were found in a cold storage facility in Cape Town. The pallets containing the perlemoen allegedly belonged to Blue Fin. Besides the initial bust in Gqeberha, three more containers were intercepted in 2018. Nine tons of perlemoen were found in containers in the Durban harbour, while another 900 boxes of tripe, with perlemoen hidden inside, were found in the Port of Port Elizabeth. The Hawks tailed the final container from a storage facility in Cape Town, following it all the way into the Northern Cape where it broke down about 30km from the town of Springbok. There the container was seized and more than 340kg of perlemoen found inside. Boxes relabelled, but links remain unclear Witnesses before court testified how boxes belonging to Blue Fin were brought to cold storage facilities in Cape Town, taken away by trucks, and returned shortly thereafter with new labels and stickers. Employees at these facilities assisted the Hawks in their investigation, and positively identified boxes labeled to contain 'meaty bones' as the ones containing illegal perlemoen. In their defence, all three accused denied any knowledge or involvement in the illegal perlemoen trade. While several individuals, including truck drivers and employees of Blue Fin, were arrested and convicted of activities related to the illegal trade and transport of perlemoen since 2017, Judge Dotwana found that none of the evidence presented to the court directly tied the owners or the manager to the illicit activities. The accused were represented by Advocate Michael Hulley, who has previously represented former president Jacob Zuma. After proceedings the newly acquitted individuals quickly filed out of the dock and left the court building. When asked if they would like to give any comment on the judgment, Hulley declined on behalf of his clients. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would consider reviewing the judgment. 'The NPA has noted the judgment in which three Chinese nationals were acquitted in a R100m perlemoen racketeering case. We will study the judgment carefully and consider possible legal avenues to take,' said NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali. DM
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Health anti-corruption forum recovers R11. 8 million and prevents R6 billion in health sector fraud
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum's united efforts are crucial in protecting public resources and fighting corruption in the health sector. Image: File The Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF) has recovered R11.8 million in cash and assets and prevented losses exceeding R6 billion, marking significant progress in its ongoing efforts to tackle fraud and maladministration in South Africa's health sector. The HSACF held its quarterly meeting on June 27, 2025, bringing together key stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, government departments, civil society, and private sector representatives to assess progress in combating corruption. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said that the HSACF reaffirmed the importance of a collaborative 'whole-of-society' approach to combat corruption, involving civil society, the private sector, and public institutions. This aligns with the National Development Plan's vision of a corruption-free South Africa. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, reported on the status of 106 cases. Of these, 21 are currently under investigation, two are on the court roll, and 69 await decisions from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). These cases involve approximately R3 billion. The SIU shared that it had prevented losses exceeding R6 billion, including R3.1 billion in actual losses and R1.6 billion in potential losses through referrals to provincial health departments. "The SIU also identified 54 fraudulent medico-legal claims and closed 97 investigations, referring cases worth R689 million to the Legal Practice Council, R279 million to the Legal Practitioners' Fidelity Fund, and R412 million to the NPA for further action," said Kganyago. Providing updates on its efforts, the NPA indicated that it had "enrolled 125 cases, finalised 83, and is pursuing 32 cases still on the court roll" stemming from SIU referrals under Proclamation 23 of 2020, which addresses COVID-19-related corruption. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Meanwhile, the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) revealed ongoing investigations into various medical schemes, including governance concerns at Foodmed Medical Scheme, irregularities in multivitamin schemes at GEMS and Polmed, overcharging at Optivest Health Services, and compliance breaches at Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme. 'The forum emphasised the need for continued vigilance, stronger preventive measures, and swift prosecution to eliminate fraud and maladministration in the health sector.' Kganyago added. The HSACF will continue to meet quarterly and remains committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that progress reports are communicated to relevant oversight bodies and the public. IOL News
