The DA will submit Parliamentary questions to the Minister of Public Works, Thulas Nxesi, requesting that the Department make available a full list of all officials under investigation in connection with almost R35 billion in irregular expenditure at the Department since 2009.
   

   
We need to know:
   
 

• Which officials are implicated in this irregular expenditure;
• What steps are being taken against them;
• Whether there is a summary of each instance of irregular expenditure and the individuals responsible in each case. If so, the list must be made public;
• Whether disciplinary action or criminal charges have been pursued in every instance where irregular expenditure has taken place; and
• To what extent Minister Nxesi, his predecessors and political appointees are responsible for the irregular expenditure at Public Works. 

 
   
In 2009, the Department failed in containing R22.6 billion in irregular expenditure. A further R4.9 billion was spent in 2010, R3.8 billion in 2011, R3.1 billion in 2012, and R500 million so far in 2014.
   

   
Since Thulas Nxesi has taken over at Public Works in 2011, the Department has incurred R7.4 billion in irregular expenditure. Nxesi owes South Africa an explanation. What exactly has he done since taking over to stop waste at the department? Almost three years and R7.4 billion later, and the problem is still ongoing.
   

   
If the Minister is truly interested in leading a transparent and accountable department, he must make available a record of each case that has been laid against a corrupt official, and each instance of wrongful and irregular expenditure.
   

   
The Department is far from winning the fight against corruption from within. The Minister must provide answers.
   

   
The DA will seek more information on irregular expenditure, and will fight to make sure that those responsible are brought to book.

Issued by the DA