President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a new proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of serious maladministration within the Department of Defence, specifically linked to the procurement of surgical mask elastic loops under Bid Number CPSC-UB-M-013-2021.
The proclamation, signed into law as Proclamation 260 of 2025, empowers the SIU to investigate whether the tender process was conducted in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective, and whether it violated any applicable legislation or instructions from the National or Provincial Treasury.
Kaizer Kganyago, spokesperson for the Special Investigating Unit, confirmed the scope of the investigation, saying the SIU would also examine “unauthorised, irregular or wasteful expenditure” and seek to determine “if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the department.”
The SIU will further look into any “irregular, unlawful or improper conduct by officials or employees of the department, its suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity implicated.”
The period under review includes all relevant conduct from March 1, 2021, up to and beyond the date of the proclamation.
The investigation not only targets corruption and fraud but also aims to uncover systemic weaknesses and recommend measures to avoid similar losses in the future.
“In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act), the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during its investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action,” said Kganyago.
He added that the unit “is also authorised to initiate a civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration.”
Beyond targeting individual misconduct, the SIU said it is committed to identifying systemic failures within the department and recommending preventative measures to stop similar losses from occurring in the future.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the SIU probe. Chris Hattingh DA spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans, said: “This investigation is long overdue.”
He criticised the Department of Defence for years of poor financial controls and lack of accountability, noting that the SIU’s mandate shows “governance in the Department has gone off the rails.”
Hattingh stressed the urgent need for action, calling for “immediate suspensions of all implicated officials, regardless of their position, pending the outcome of the probe,” and insisted that the SIU’s findings “must be made public, followed by real consequences: prosecutions, asset recovery, and regular updates to Parliament.”
“South Africans deserve an armed forces institution they can believe in – not one broken by corruption and weak leadership.”
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