Ronald Lamola proposes donor funding must be explored within confines of law

Lamola said this when Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster appeared before the National Council of Provinces to field oral questions on Tuesday.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Ronald Lamola says any donor funding for the National Prosecuting Authority will be managed in line with the approved framework that is in place to manage such funding.

He also said that the potential risk relating to the impact of donor funding on the government, in general, to ensure the protection of objectivity and the independence has been thoroughly considered by the government throughout the years.

Lamola said this when Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster appeared before the National Council of Provinces to field oral questions on Tuesday.

"This risk has been managed by ensuring a proper framework under the auspices of the National Treasury, which regulates the acceptance and allocation of donor funding, both internationally and locally," he said.

This comes not long after he said, in his budget policy statement in Parliament, that while R3.9 billion of his department's budget would be allocated to the NPA, this was still not enough.

Addressing journalists during a media briefing, Lamola proposed that donor funding must be explored within the confines of the law.

His spokesperson Chrispin Phiri later said the Minister does not state that the matter is a forgone conclusion.

Lamola said to members of the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday: "Given the significance in relation to the National Prosecution Authority, specifically the parties have reiterated their commitment to ensuring that any funding provided to the NPA will be channeled as per the approved framework through the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development."

Department disciplines employees for doing business with the state

Lamola said, meanwhile, that the Auditor-General has found 12 employees of the department to be directors and members of private companies that are doing business with the organs of state between 1 February 2017 to 22 July 2019. The total value of the business by such was about R4 366 242.

"Some of these employees, I think three, are currently undergoing disciplinary processes. The others, there is still a process that will lead towards whether they should be disciplined or there is no need for them to be taken through that process."

Lamola also said that with regards to Correctional Services department, the office of the Auditor-General had identified 32 employees of the department found to be directors or members of private companies that are doing business with the state from 1 February 2017 to 31 March 2019.

"However, the department is in the process of conducting investigations, where applicable, disciplinary processes will be undertaken. This is because when you receive the report of the AG, you still have to verify and go through your own system to see whether indeed the person or employee had declared [their businesses]."

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)