Millions for poor missing

About R224m in livelihoods’ programme leads to graft case.

- Daniel Steyn, Joseph Bracken, Raymond Joseph, Kimberly Mutandiro

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: STILL MUM AFTER 6 YEARS, DESPITE 2 AUDITS, FRAUD CHARGES.

In spite of two forensic investigations and six years after the Gauteng department of social development director in charge of a R224-million "sustainable livelihoods" programme was charged with fraud, the department has still not provided any details.

A forensic audit was launched in 2018, but the outcome has not been made public. According to the department's annual reports, disciplinary processes were also launched. But the department has not responded to questions about the outcome.

The department has said that the matter has been referred to the Hawks for further investigation, but it provided no details.

The Hawks told GroundUp without being given a case number, they cannot confirm that they are investigating. The department did not respond to questions about the case number.

Since 2012, between R120 million and R220 million has been spent annually on the department's "sustainable livelihoods" programme, according to its annual reports. This includes projects for skills development, job readiness, the provision of school uniforms and food distribution.

The annual reports also show that between 2016 and 2018, there was about R500 million in irregular expenditure on this programme. This was mainly because the department was procuring goods and services via non-profit organisations with no tender processes.

The director of the programme at the time, July Maphosa, resigned in 2018, after he was accused of fraud and soliciting bribes, allegations he denied.