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JOHANNESBURG. — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised an investigation into allegations of irregularities and unlawful conduct at several government departments, the presidency said yesterday. The decision is the latest by President Ramaphosa to tackle alleged corruption and misgovernance in the administration of his predecessor Jacob Zuma, who was forced from office in February by the ruling African National Congress.

The presidency said in a statement that the proclamations authorise investigations of “allegations of serious irregularities in relation to procurement of goods” and “improper or unlawful conduct by employees or officials.”

The targeted institutions include The National Department of Public Works and several departments and municipalities in the provincial Eastern Cape government.

The probes will be conducted by the Special Investigation Unit, which has a broad remit to look into “ serious malpractices or maladministration in the administration of the state.”

In a separate development, the Presidency announced yesterday that President Ramaphosa’s review of the national executive and government departments had begun.

The aim is for implementation to take place after next year’s election, when the sixth administration comes into office.
In effect, the review could lead to fewer ministers and less government departments.

In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February, President Ramaphosa gave an undertaking that the configuration, number and size of national government departments would be reassessed.
Question submitted by DA MP David Maynier.

In his answer to Maynier, Ramaphosa said a technical task team of officials from several departments was reviewing the configuration of the national government.

The departments are the Presidency; the Department of Public Service and Administration; the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; the National Treasury; and the Department of Cooperative Governance. The Presidency is the lead department.

“A review of previous and current configurations is still in progress, with the view to establishing the synergy between the Constitution and legislation on one hand and the national macro-organisation of the national government, on the other. A preliminary analysis has been concluded,” his answer read.

“The review will be concluded after due political consultations, in time for implementation in the sixth administration.” — Reuters-News24.