The SIU is set to investigate the 2017/18 and 2019/20 periods which coincides with both tenures of former premiers, including Ace Magashule and Sisi Ntombela.

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The SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said President Cyril Ramaphosa requested it to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the affairs of the Office of the Premier in the Free State, as identified by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), Tsakani Maluleke.

He said this follows a report by Maluleke, titled “Report of the Auditor-General
to the Free State Legislature on Vote no. 1: Department of the Premier,” dated 31 July 2019 and 27 October 2020.

Kganyago said the unit's investigating team will also focus on the Office of the Premier’s annual report for the 2017/18 financial year concerning the approval, allocation, or payment of bursaries, including travel and accommodation, among others.

He said the investigation will scrutinise stipends to persons who were not entitled or were given in a manner that contradicts the applicable manuals, policies, procedures, prescripts, instructions, or practices of the Office of the Premier.

OFM News previously reported that, as outlined in Pieter Louis Myburgh’s Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule's Web of Capture, Moroadi Cholota, who is now a suspect in the failed R255 million asbestos case, made several requests for money transactions. Some of these payments allegedly had to do with students' bursaries from businessmen.

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“Furthermore, the SIU will investigate any irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the Office of the Premier or any other person or entity, relating to the matters that fall within this investigation.

“The proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that took place between 1 January 2018 and 9 June 2023, the date of the publication of the proclamation, or before 1 January 2018 and after the date of the proclamation that is relevant to, connected with, incidental to the matters or involves the same persons, entities or contracts investigated.”

In 2021, Ntombela was accused of undue interference in one of the departments and trying to influence tender processes.

ALSO READ – #BreakingNews: FS premier accused of breach of conduct

At the time the EFF provincial secretary, Bosanku Msimanga, told OFM News that allegations – including a WhatsApp text – allegedly from Ntombela to the former head of the department (HOD) of Police, Roads and Transport, Sipho Mtakati, seems to instruct him to appoint a certain company. He alleged this clearly puts the premier at the centre of corruption and breaches her oath of office. 

Bosanku said the EFF has since approached the Office of the Public Protector (PP) to have this alleged conduct by Ntombela investigated.

OFM News