BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE – A comprehensive SIU investigation has been officially expanded to target alleged maladministration and unlawful conduct within the Free State Education department and the Greater Kokstad Municipality. Acting on new executive directives signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Special Investigating Unit will now scrutinize years of procurement irregularities, with a sharp focus on identifying and recovering state funds lost to questionable school construction projects and municipal technology contracts.
Presidential Directive Broadens Free State School Procurement Probe
The renewed focus on the provincial education sector follows President Ramaphosa’s signing of Proclamation 325 of 2026. This legal instrument grants the SIU the authority to thoroughly audit procurement and contracting procedures for construction services managed by or for the Free State Department of Education. The retrospective review covers a wide timeframe, beginning on 1 March 2014 and extending to the exact date the proclamation was issued.
A primary objective of this mandate is to uncover any unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure tied to the department or the broader State. The probe will specifically target projects associated with three institutions: Caleb Motshabi (previously known as Thuto Ke Thebe) Primary School, Malebogo Primary School, and Tlholo Primary School.
Investigators will rigorously assess whether past bidding processes adhered to national legislation, Provincial and National Treasury regulations, and the department’s internal procurement frameworks. Furthermore, the SIU will examine any improper, unlawful, or irregular behavior by department staff, officials, external service providers, or associated entities. The scope also explicitly includes any collateral misconduct involving the same individuals, companies, or contracts flagged during the primary inquiry.
Great Kokstad Municipal IT and Supply Contracts Under Retrospective Scrutiny
In a concurrent development, the President has approved a notice amending Proclamation 244 of 2025, which governs the SIU’s oversight of the Greater Kokstad Local Municipality. The initial proclamation, gazetted on 31 January 2025, was designed to investigate the municipality’s procurement of services, works, or goods, alongside any payments executed without fairness, transparency, competition, or cost-effectiveness. It also targeted improper actions by municipal employees, officials, suppliers, and service providers.
The newly enacted amendment significantly lengthens the investigative timeline. Rather than starting on 1 January 2022, the probe will now reach back to 5 June 2020, continuing through to the publication date of this amended proclamation.
This extended timeframe places several specific municipal bids under intense review:
- Bid GKM 19-22/23: The appointment of a vendor to supply and renew software licenses for a three-year duration.
- Bid GKM 16-22/23: The selection of a service provider to implement a customer care and IT service desk solution, also spanning three years.
Additionally, the amended scope introduces two new contracts into the investigation:
- Bid GKM 43-19/20: Covering the supply and delivery of desktop computers and laptops.
- Bid GKM 14-20/21: Pertaining to the supply and renewal of software licenses.
Legal Framework Empowers State Asset Recovery
The SIU reiterated its foundational mandate to root out serious maladministration, unlawful conduct, irregular expenditure, and any connected fraud or corruption. A critical pillar of this mission is the restitution of financial losses incurred by the State.
Operating under the authority of Act No. 74 of 1996, the SIU is fully empowered to investigate matters formally referred by the President. Should the probes reveal substantive wrongdoing, the unit possesses the legal standing to initiate civil proceedings in the High Court or the Special Tribunal to rectify the identified injustices. Ultimately, the SIU remains steadfast in its commitment to reclaiming public funds depleted by fraud, corruption, maladministration, or any other unlawful activities uncovered during these extensive investigations.