Department of Communications (DOC) senior officials who may have been involved in a cover up of violations relating to the ICT Indaba in Cape Town last year during former communications minister Dina Pule's reign face a Public Service Commission inquest.
Pule's successor Yunus Carrim says he received a report from public service and administration minister Lindiwe Sisulu a few days ago, requesting him to ensure the DOC representatives in question participate in the process.
Carrim says, as he understands it, the report has been referred to the Public Service Commission and the DOC is waiting for the outcome. "[We] hope it will be finalised soon." Based on the findings, he says, further legal advice will be sought - and the appropriate action taken.
"If we do not strictly follow the course of the law, these matters end up in constant and costly and time-consuming wrangling in the courts - which also delays final decisions being taken. If it is proven that DOC officials have committed any offences, of course action will be taken against them."
This comes in response to a Parliamentary question posed by Congress of the People MP Juli Kilian, who further questioned if criminal charges will be laid against officials should they be implicated in the report. To this, Carrim replied that the report had been handed over to the relevant authorities, which would indicate what action, if any, needed to be taken.
Carrim says public protector Thuli Madonsela is also about to finalise her report into allegations of misconduct by Pule, and the outcome would also be factored into the decision taken on action going forward.
Pule was sacked during a Cabinet reshuffle in July. In August, the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests found the former communications minister guilty of allowing her romantic partner, Phosane Mngqibisa, to benefit financially from his relationship with her.
The committee also ruled that Pule had failed to declare her association with Mngqibisa, which she was obliged to do in terms of Parliament's ethics code. Pule was suspended, reprimanded and fined 30 days' salary.
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