The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development commended the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for recovering R2.28-billion in cash from investigations and litigation, as it revealed it saved government from bleeding a staggering R8-billion in the 2023/24 financial year; however, the committee expressed concerns about the huge outstanding debt owed to the SIU.

Debt worth about R1-billion is outstanding, with the SIU aiming to collect these from the State institutions it is investigating, through Project Khokhela.

Committee chairperson Xola Nqola said the SIU overachieved on its targets, with the biggest contributor to the recovery being maladministration, the Transnet investigation (R710 104 826.03) and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme investigation (R191 027 281.50). "In terms of the rand value of potential loss prevented, the medico-legal investigation (R1 978 422 323.50) was the biggest contributor to the over-achievement on this target," he said.

The SIU conducted and concluded lifestyle audits for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, the Northern Cape Office of the Premier, the Gauteng Office of the Premier, and the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport.

Nqola pointed out that the organisation had established a Special Tribunal and had a civil litigation case assessment committee in place, with a civil litigation strategy being reviewed, as well as a turnaround plan being developed following a civil litigation imbizo.

The committee heard that the introduction of the Special Tribunal assisted the SIU to recover money faster and stop suspicious tenders.

A total of 224 cases are currently before the tribunal, totalling more than R11.5-billion and a further 76 cases are before the High Court, amounting to about R78.9-billion

The SIU finalised more than 1 900 investigations under proclamations and a total of 26 reports have been submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa in the year under review.