The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been given the presidential nod to go ahead and probe the Department of Defence’s personal protection equipment (PPE) tender.
The nod was given by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Proclamation 260 of 2025, which authorises the SIU to investigate serious maladministration, focusing on irregularities linked to the tender to supply surgical mask elastic loops.
The SIU probe will examine whether the procurement and contracting were made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective or in violation of applicable legislation, guidelines, or instructions from the National or Provincial Treasury.
This includes the Department’s or the State’s unauthorised, irregular, or wasteful expenditure, and the SIU will seek to establish if there was any misappropriation of unidentified payments received by the Department.
“The probe will also look at 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 Proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between 1 March 2021 and 23 May 2025, as well as any related activities before 1 March 2021 and after the date of the Proclamation that are pertinent to the matters under investigation or involve the same persons, entities, or contracts,” the SIU said in a statement.
It added that beyond investigating maladministration, corruption, and fraud, it is committed to identifying systemic failures and recommending measures to prevent future losses.
“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.
“Under the SIU Act, the SIU 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,” it added.
