By Akani Nkuna
After months of the DA insisting on a probe into the SA Bureau of Standards, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has announced an independent investigation.
The DA’s Toby Chance said that while the party welcomed the decision, “it should not have taken months of advocacy to prompt action, especially given the seriousness of whistleblower allegations”.
Tau appeared before the DTIC Portfolio Committee on Tuesday to explain his inaction regarding multiple misconduct allegations.
The inquiry is set to begin in early February, and the DA has urged the immediate release of its terms of reference and projected completion date.
The allegations are that the DTIC has overlooked corruption and maladministration at SABS, allowing a culture of bullying and mismanagement to thrive. Instead of addressing these issues, there have allegedly been deliberate cover-ups to protect those involved. The situation has worsened, with a SABS director now facing charges of financial misconduct.
“SABS is a crucial institution in South Africa, mandated with ensuring that all products manufactured are safe. This cannot be guaranteed if SABS is unstable,” Chance said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition has welcomed the efforts to address the allegations, but stressed the need for an impartial, independent and transparent investigation.
It has called for an independent investigator, full cooperation from all stakeholders, and the disclosure of the investigation’s findings to the committee once the process is completed.
“In addition, the committee urged the ministry and the leadership of the institution to ensure that the integrity of the institution’s information and evidence required for the investigation is secured.
“In light of the recent cyberattack at the SABS, the committee noted the progress on issues of repairing and upgrading the SABS’ IT infrastructure, which is important to enable the security of such information” said committee chair Mzwanele Masina.
Tau and Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield led a departmental delegation to update the committee on efforts to verify allegations of impropriety since their referral in August 2024.
Tau acknowledged the seriousness of the claims and confirmed that an investigation would begin in February following the appointment of a service provider.
Furthermore, the Ministry will prioritise stabilising the board and senior management to restore governance and ensure effective leadership within the institution.
The DA was appalled that since the first whistleblower report on 4 August 2024, serious governance failures at SABS have emerged, including neglected infrastructure, outdated IT systems and irregularities in procurement and recruitment.
Rather than resolving these issues, whistleblowers have allegedly faced intimidation. Disciplinary actions have largely targeted junior and mid-level staff, while senior executives remain unaccountable.
“The most serious failure is the ransomware cyber-attack on the SABS in November and the inadequate disaster recovery measures put in place to deal with it,” said Chance.
The DA has urged immediate action to restore accountability at the SABS and other DTIC entities.
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