Special Investigating Units And Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No. 74 of 1996)

Proclamations

Referral of Matters to Existing Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunal

2026 Notices

Department of Education in the Free State Province

Proclamation Notice 325 of 2026

Purchase

Proclamation Notice 325

10 July 2026

GG 54970

PROCLAMATION NOTICE 325 of 2026

by the

PRESIDENT of the REPUBLIC of SOUTH AFRICA

WHEREAS allegations as contemplated in section 2(2) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No. 74 of 1996), (“the Act”), have been made in respect of the affairs of the Department of Education in the Free State Province (hereinafter referred to as “the Department”);

AND WHEREAS the Department may have suffered losses that may be recovered;

AND WHEREAS I deem it necessary that the said allegations should be investigated and civil proceedings emanating from such investigation should be adjudicated upon;

NOW, THEREFORE, I hereby, under section 2(1) of the Act, refer the matters mentioned in the Schedule, in respect of the Department, for investigation to the Special Investigating Unit established by Proclamation No. R. 118 of 31 July 2001 and determine that, for the purposes of the investigation of the matters, the terms of reference of the Special Investigating Unit are to investigate as contemplated in the Act, any alleged—

(a)	serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the Department;

(b)	improper or unlawful conduct by employees of the Department;

(c)	unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property;

(d)	unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having a bearing upon State property;

(e)	intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property;

(f)

offence referred to in Part 1 to 4, or section 17, 20 or 21 (in so far as it relates to the aforementioned offences) of Chapter 2 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act No. 12 of 2004), and which offences were committed in connection with the affairs of the Department; or

(g)	unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public or any category thereof,

which has taken place between 01 March 2014 and the date of publication of this Proclamation or which took place prior to 01 March 2014 or after the date of publication of this Proclamation, but is relevant to, connected with, incidental or ancillary to the matters mentioned in the Schedule or involve the same persons, entities or contracts investigated under authority of this Proclamation, and to exercise or perform all the functions and powers assigned to or conferred upon the said Special Investigating Unit by the Act, including the recovery of any losses suffered by the Department or the State, in relation to the said matters in the Schedule.

Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Republic of South Africa at Johannesburg this 22nd day of June Two thousand and twenty-six

President

By Order of the President-in-Cabinet:

Minister of the Cabinet

SCHEDULE

1.	The procurement of, or contracting for, construction services by or on behalf of the Department, and payments made in relation thereto in a manner that was—

(a)	not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective; or

(b)	contrary to applicable—

(i)	legislation;

(ii)	manuals, guidelines, practice notes, circulars or instructions issued by the National Treasury or the relevant Provincial Treasury;

(iii)

manuals, policies, procedures, prescripts, instructions or practices of or applicable to the Department,

and any related unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Department or the State in relation to the following schools:

(aa)	Caleb Motshabi (formerly Thuto Ke Thebe) Primary School;

(bb)	Malebogo Primary School; and

(cc)	Tlholo Primary School.

2.	Any irregular, unlawful or improper conduct, including serious maladministration and the causes thereof, by—

(a)	officials or employees of the Department; or

(b)	the applicable service providers of the Department; or

(c)	any other person or entity,

in relation to the allegations as set out in paragraph 1 of this Schedule.