Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed a public protector report clearing him of allegations of unethical conduct relating to the Independent Development Trust (IDT).
EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini accused Macpherson of blurring the lines between the entity and his office when he contacted a trust employee querying delayed payments to a company contracted by the IDT. This improperly bypassed IDT governance structures and suggested possible collusion with a service provider, the EFF said.
The case involved a company appointed by the IDT to rehabilitate sinkholes at Waterkloof air force base as part of a project managed on behalf of the public works and infrastructure department.
When the IDT’s executive management rebuffed his interference, the EFF claimed Macpherson attempted to coerce an IDT employee into “committing fraudulent and criminal acts of alleged bribery of media personnel to write negative articles regarding the trust’s board”.
Public protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka found the minister had complied with National Treasury regulations regarding payment to service providers and acted within his role as shareholder representative of the IDT, and there was no evidence of undue influence, bribery, favouritism, conflict of interest or abuse of power.
“The evidence before the public protector demonstrates the enquiry concerning the non-payment of the IDT service provider originated from an email dated July 2024 from the service provider, seeking intervention to facilitate payment by the Presidency,” she said.
This was referred to Macpherson’s office as the IDT shareholder and political head of the department of public works and infrastructure.
“The involvement of Mr Macpherson in the matter arose solely as a consequence of the referral from the Presidency. Accordingly, the allegation that Mr Macpherson unduly influenced the IDT officials to facilitate payment due to an alleged relationship with the service provider is not supported by the available evidence,” Gcaleka said.
She also found the allegation that Macpherson breached the ethics code was not substantiated.
Macpherson said he believes the EFF complaint was part of a broader pattern of efforts to intimidate and obstruct efforts to clean up the IDT.
“This complaint was never about ethics or accountability. It was about obstructing reform at a time when sensitive investigations were under way at the IDT.
“The public protector’s report vindicates our actions to stabilise and reform the IDT so it can fulfil its mandate of delivering social infrastructure to communities across South Africa.”
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.