A forensic investigation has cleared senior management of the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on most of 17 allegations of wasteful expenditure, nepotism and irregular tender processes.
The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) report, released on Friday, found evidence of wrongdoing only in two cases out of the 17.
The probe also found that, after conducting interviews and reviewing documents, the SAWS had formulated and implemented a communication and severe-weather warning strategy.
In the first case where evidence of impropriety was found, SAWS employees had claimed that around July 2007, the SAWS CEO had a housewarming party in Port Elizabeth to which she invited her general managers. She allegedly used SAWS money to pay for the flights and travel expenses.
According to the findings, a Ms Bokwe and a Mr Dekeda used hired vehicles at SAWS expense to attend the housewarming. They reimbursed the SAWS only after an investigation had gotten under way and the chief financial officer (CFO) started asking questions.
The CFO’s diligence in probing Bokwe’s and Dekeda’s ”obviously false” explanations also had to be questioned. The practice of combining business trips with private travel and then reimbursing the SAWS for the private part was irregular and should be stopped as it created room for abuse, PWC said.
It recommended that ”corrective action” be taken against the two.
The second case related to the CFO’s authorising a payment of R790 000 in September 2006 to a company called Face Languta for services not yet rendered. The company was supposed to produce an induction programme for SAWS employees, which Face Languta did not produce.
The probe found that a substantial portion of the service paid for had not been delivered. Face Languta was overpaid R97 125 above the original contract worth R693 750 and PWC found this to be irregular. The CFO was found to be instrumental in approving the overpaid amount.
While litigation was pending against Face Languta, PWC again recommended ”corrective action” be taken to prevent recurrences.
The other allegations included claims that the SAWS CEO had only been at work for 60 out of 252 working days between April 1 2007 and March 13 this year. No evidence was found substantiating this allegation. The claims were made by the service’s employees using an anonymous tip-off line.
The probe also recommended that the SAWS keep proper leave records, as well as detailed records in circumstances that called for justified deviations from procurement processes.
Chairperson of the SAWS board Khungeka Njobe briefed Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on the findings. She indicated that the SAWS board accepted all findings, conclusions and recommendations contained in the PWC report. It would act to correct those areas that required tightening controls. — Sapa