Led by KPMG, a task team established by the Postbank board will investigate the R42 million heist that hit the institution this month.
This is according to communications minister Dina Pule, who spoke at a briefing yesterday. “At this point in time, I have seconded two executives from the DOC [Department of Communications] to work with the task team established by the board to investigate and report to me on the details of this occurrence.”
She added that the police are handling the crime and the DOC has to wait for their report. “They have told DOC that they are very close to arresting the criminals.”
The department is also reviewing the systems of the Postbank so that a similar incident does not occur. Democratic Alliance shadow communications minister Natasha Michael previously called on Pule to implement emergency measures and tighten security to protect the poor from incidents like this.
Flagship
“The commercialisation of Postbank, in order to provide banking to the unbanked population, is an important strategic development and one of the DOC's flagship projects,” said Pule.
She added that the SA Postbank Act came into operation in July 2011 and a whole range of projects are under way to ensure that Postbank is awarded a banking licence.
The DOC is in consultation with the National Treasury on the investment, borrowing and lending policies of the Postbank, as required by the Act. “We envisage that the Postbank will be licensed next year.”
The minister also said the establishment and corporatisation of the Postbank as a public company is progressing well and the process to appoint the Postbank board will be finalised by March.
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