Rot runs deep in SAPS procurement

Rot runs deep in SAPS procurement
Irregular expenditure by the South African Police Service could be as high as R1.5 billion as the Auditor General had only reviewed 5% of the R58 billion budget, says the Democratic Alliance's Dianne Kohler-Barnard.

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SA 'protected against capital flight' Kohler-Barnard's statement on Thursday followed a long and difficult session between Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police and the SAPS general staff led by National Commissioner Bheki Cele.

"If irregular expenditure of R76 million was identified after only 5% of the total budget was audited, the overall figure could potentially exceed R1.5 billion," Kohler-Barnard said.

A main bone of contention between all members of the committee and the SAPS was the exact budget of the two National Police Days held in 2010 and 2011.

"The bill for this year's National Police Day totaled R22 million, which included almost R12 million spent on performing artists alone. Last year, the SAPS incurred R13.6 million in irregular expenditure on this event," Kohler-Barnard said.

MPs from the African National Congress and the DA expressed their frustration with the SAPS hierarchy for not being able to give forthright answers to their questions about the irregular expenditure.

They refused to accept a long and obfuscating explanation by head of SAPS procurement General Mokoena about the expenditure being condoned because the state had received the goods and services that were purchased.

He also said that some of the irregular expenditure related to purchase order numbers not being applied for or granted.

Mokoena said that some of that irregular expenditure may have been to do with the 2010 Soccer World Cup when the police were called in at short notice to take over from security guards at the stadiums for a while.

However, his answer did not gel with ANC MP Annelize van Wyk who retorted: "I can't believe that that amount (R48 million) had to do with the World Cup. If it did, then it shows a massive lack of planning on your side."

Van Wyk went on to say that the police thought they could do whatever they wanted with their money.

"But it is not their money. It belongs to the taxpayer," she said.

Committee chairperson Lydia Chikunga became visibly upset with the police delegation saying: "Why can't you give a straight answer when we ask you a question?"

It was also revealed that 10 police members were being charged internally with procurement malpractice particularly with relation to the building and upgrading of police stations and that at least one senior officer had resigned before being charged.

Last year President Jacob Zuma ordered the Special Investigation Unit to investigate supply chain irregularities among several government departments including the SAPS.

Cele told the committee the SAPS had themselves asked to be investigated and that they were not included in the original list.

However, Kohler-Barnard said that she would write to Zuma to request the Special Investigation Unit to investigate tender procurement practices within the SAPS.

"National Police Day is sadly just the tip of the iceberg. I have been informed by insiders at the SAPS that the contracts for even the most basic items, down to pencils and tyres, go to friends and family of top SAPS members," Kohler-Barnard said.

She went on to say that the rot in SAPS procurement processes runs deep.

"Outside intervention is crucial if this trend is to be halted and reversed. The Special Investigation Unit must step in to reveal the full extent of irregularities at the SAPS and assist in rooting out all corruption in this critical service, and action must be taken against those implicated in corruption," she said.

Parliament was scheduled to continue its hearings on Thursday and Friday.

(NEWS 24