Msunduzi municipality slow on Jika Joe

THE Standing Committee on Public Accounts has put more pressure for finality on the allegations of irregularities in the Jika Joe housing project.

An investigation done by the Provincial Treasury on the matter is gathering dust due to Msunduzi Municipality opting to do its own investigation.

Last year, the Provincial Treasury had done an investigation and referred the matter back to Human Settlements MEC Ravi Pillay.

However, after the municipality opted to do its own investigation, it did not implement the findings and recommendations of KZN’s Treasury.

Pietermaritzburg is also counted among police investigations into 29 housing scams listed in a report by the department in the legislature.

The scams were identified in a forensic investigation done by the Provincial Treasury based on allegations of bribery, corruption and procurement irregularities between April 2009 and March 2016.

The findings were then handed to police for criminal investigations with five people already charged by the court for fraud and money laundering.

The department’s financial executive officer, Shirmala Pillay, said one pleaded guilty and was fined R150 000 and is now a state witness, while four others are out on bail.