SIU investigations lead to disciplinary action against more than 1K public servants, Parly told

JOHANNESBURG - The Presidency has said more than a thousand public servants are facing disciplinary action following investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for a range of transgressions.

But the Presidency and the SIU have bemoaned the fact that several public service officials at national and provincial departments continue to resign from their positions while facing disciplinary proceedings.

The Presidency has also told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (SCOPA) on Tuesday that several officials have been dismissed for wrongdoing, including municipal managers and deputy directors general.

The Presidency was back before SCOPA to give the committee an update on SIU investigations and what consequences have been faced by those implicated.

Jonathan Timm, a director in the Presidency, told the committee that they’ve dismissed 44 individuals from the public service due to the SIU’s work.

Timm said more than a thousand are facing disciplinary action after being caught on the wrong side of the law.

"There are 1,278 individuals flagged for disciplinary action by the SIU in the Presidency tracking system over the last few years. Of those, 370 are finalised and 608 are in progress, and there are 300 individuals we are still awaiting information," said Timm.

The SIU told the committee that resignations while facing disciplinary action continue to be a problem after recording 55 officials who left their positions before facing consequences.

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