Acting SIU boss Leonard Lekgetho says an investigation into the Free State Provincial Government Bursary Scheme uncovered serious maladministration to the tune of more than R8 million.

• An investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has found gross irregularities in the Free State Provincial Government Bursary Scheme amounting to more than R8 million.
• The SIU found that a government official awarded bursaries to relatives without following due process, while bursaries were also awarded to foreign nationals who were not eligible.
• It was also revealed that officials were awarded full-time bursaries, in contravention of the bursary policy.

An investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into the Free State Provincial Government Bursary Scheme uncovered serious maladministration to the tune of more than R8 million, including one official awarding bursaries to relatives and 13 officials being awarded full-time bursaries in contravention of policy.

This was revealed by the acting SIU boss, Leonard Lekgetho, during a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Under Proclamation 123 of 2023, the SIU investigated the bursary scheme, which operated out of the Office of the Free State Premier, focusing on allegations of maladministration, and irregular, unlawful or improper conduct by government officials between 2017 and 2023.

The investigation focused on the bursaries awarded to beneficiaries, including payments for travel, accommodation, and stipends that were improperly awarded or in violation of the bursary policy.

Lekgetho said that the ongoing investigation revealed that officials negligently approved bursaries, failed to comply with eligibility criteria, and irregularly extended bursary contracts.

Among the findings, it was revealed that:

Lekgetho said this resulted in irregular expenditure of more than R8.3 million.

The investigation further revealed that officials did not properly monitor excess funds in universities’ suspense accounts, leaving millions unused.

“The SIU tracked down and recovered R6.3 million from seven universities,” Lekgetho said.

Meanwhile, the SIU has also obtained signed 18 acknowledgements of debt totalling R1.9 million with beneficiaries who received undue benefits from the bursary scheme and to date, a total of R283 571 has been received by the SIU through instalments.

According to Lekgetho, the SIU made 38 disciplinary referrals against implicated officials, including human resource officers, administration clerks, assistant directors, deputy directors and directors, for contravening the Public Finance Management Act and the Free State bursary policy.

The director-general of the Free State province, Dr Molefinyana Phera, said that of the 38, eight are currently employed by the province, with one having already retired. He said disciplinary procedures against the seven remaining employees have started.

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The SIU has also referred evidence indicating the commission of a criminal offence against seven suspects to the National Prosecuting Authority, for possible prosecution on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.

“The SIU’s investigation has exposed not just maladministration, but a moral failure, a collapse of civic duty and ethical leadership. Officials turned opportunity into exploitation, and service into self-interest. They violated the trust of the people and the vision of our democracy,” Lekgetho said.

The interim report does not implicate or mention any political actors, but Lekgetho stressed that investigations are still ongoing.

Lekgetho, answering a question from the media, said that former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, had received a bursary during the period under investigation, and reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that by September, there will be an update on what transpired. Magashule served as premier from 2009 to 2018.

Magashule, Cholota and 16 others are expected to stand trial on charges related to the awarding of the dodgy R255-million asbestos-removal tender.