Cosatu has criticised government for accepting the resignation of the suspended Director-General of the Department of Military Veterans, Irene Mpolweni, while she was facing allegations of gross financial misconduct.
Mpolweni was suspended in March 2023 and faced allegations of irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure valued at over R200 million. She is also alleged to have interfered in procurement processes and circumventing required procedures.
Cosatu national spokesperson, Matthew Parks, said while the departure of ‘incompetent DGs who compromised the ability of the state to fulfil its mandates’ was welcomed, the union federation was appalled that Mpolweni was allowed to resign without being held accountable.
“This allowing of persons facing serious and at times criminal charges to simply pack their bags, is compromising the African National Congress led government’s welcome and progressive efforts to uproot the cancer of corruption that has become endemic across the state, and in particular in the Department of Military Veterans and the South African National Defence Force.”
He said parliament amended the Auditing Act in 2018 requiring the state to hold personally liable officials who caused the state to lose workers’ hard-earned taxes to corruption or wasteful expenditure.
“COSATU urges the Minister for Defence, Ms. Thandi Modise, to ensure the former DG is held accountable for the charges she faced, including withholding any monies owed to her, including her pension fund.
“Good governance will only be built by continuously maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, mismanagement and malfeasance wherever it may appear in the state and society,” Parks said.
Mpolweni faces seven charges of financial misconduct, including initiating and approving a project to purchase 90 rammer walk-behind roller pothole machines at a cost of R101-million.
The Mercury