By Akani Nkuna
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) set aside contracts worth more than R25.7 billion, recovered R936 million in cash and assets and prevented R1.9 billion in potential losses during the 2025/26 financial year.
“These legal actions help protect public funds from unlawful spending and, where possible, recover and redirect them toward their intended public purposes. The achievement underscores the SIU’s ongoing commitment to combating corruption, maladministration and malpractice, while safeguarding State assets,” it said on Tuesday.
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The SIU also maintained an unqualified audit outcome during the financial year.
It said it closed 5,917 investigations conducted under published proclamations and submitted 48 reports to the Presidency outlining the outcomes of its investigations.
The reports covered investigations involving the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Ithala Development Finance Corporation, the City of Tshwane’s Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works, Makana Local Municipality, Tembisa Hospital, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Services, and the Department of Home Affairs.
It also referred matters involving evidence of civil wrongdoing valued at R10.7 billion for civil proceedings.
PRASA was the largest contributor to the total, with the SIU instituting and conducting civil proceedings valued at R6,909,991,311.91.
The unit also expanded its capacity to conduct lifestyle audits through secondment agreements with eight government departments and state-owned entities.
Lifestyle audits were conducted at the Community Schemes Ombud Service, Housing Development Agency, Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Northern Cape Office of the Premier, PRASA, Gauteng Office of the Premier, Limpopo Department of Public Works and Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The SIU made 761 criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority involving officials, private entities and individuals suspected of criminal wrongdoing.
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A further 460 officials were referred to their respective state institutions for disciplinary action.
SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said the progress reflected in the 2025/26 financial year demonstrated the importance of sustained investigations, legal action and collaboration between institutions in protecting public resources and strengthening accountability.
“Fighting corruption and demanding good governance is not one person’s job. It requires a whole-of-society approach involving government, law-enforcement agencies, investigative and oversight institutions, whistleblowers, civil society, the media, businesses and every citizen.
“If we’re serious about ending the scourge of corruption, we need to ensure that the opportunity to commit corruption is reduced; the ability to conceal corruption is weakened; and that those responsible face appropriate consequences,” he said.
