Sisulu wants more time to investigate corruption

Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told Parliament that though the preliminary report into allegations of corruption by the department’s logistics expert Mthobisi Zondi and acting chief of logistics Major-General JT Nkonyane was concluded, the inspector-general had requested more time to continue the investigation.

MPs last year questioned Zondi – who sits on the department’s procurement committee – about allegations that he ran a private business from the same address used by a company that had been awarded a R108-million tender to clear unexploded ordnance, by the department.

The payment of bills relating to the contract were allegedly approved by Nkonyane a week before the tender period closed.

Sisulu told MPs that the report would be made available to the defence portfolio committee as soon as it had been completed.

She said added to the request for more time to investigate the matter, the inspector-general would work with the department’s legal division to “understand the legal implications” of the recommendations he put forward.

“The report is inconclusive as it is at a preliminary stage. We are engaged in the matter and there are a number of recommendations that have come from the inspector general and at a time that it would be convenient to yourselves, perhaps the inspector general would be able to take you through it as soon as he has completed his findings,” Sisulu said.

She however warned that the department could face a situation where it may have to keep the contents of the report confidential “should there be any court proceedings that follow from that”.