The police are investigating allegations of fraud, corruption, fruitless and wasteful expenditure and maladministration at the country’s Financial and Fiscal Commission.
The commission, a statutory body established by the Constitution, is tasked with evaluating and advising on government expenditure and policies.
It advises and makes recommendations to Parliament, provincial legislatures, organised local government and other organs of state on financial and fiscal matters.
Being a strong proponent of sound fiscal management, it is an indictment that it should be found to have fallen short of the high standards it applies to government entities.
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday a report into allegations of impropriety by members of staff had been concluded and handed over to the South African Police Service for investigation.
The allegations were probed by the Treasury with the aid of forensic investigators from legal firm Bowman Gilfillan.
The nature of the wrong-doing was not disclosed by former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who instituted the investigation, and Gigaba has also refused to divulge them.
Gigaba said in a written reply to a parliamentary question by DA deputy finance spokesman Alf Lees that the report arising from the investigation by members of staff would not be made public before the matter was brought before court by the National Prosecuting Authority
Lees said it was encouraging that action had been taken on the report and that someone would be held accountable for its findings.
However, he was disappointed that an organisation of the stature and role of the commission had been implicated in such wrongdoing when it should set the standard.
Lees said he would push for the investigation report to be presented to Parliament’s standing committee on finance, which needed to be kept abreast of any development.
The commission used to be headed by former CEO and acting chairman Bongani Khumalo, who left at the end of his term in August 2016.
Gigaba said the Treasury had completed its investigation in April and the main findings and recommendations were submitted to the commissioners at the statutory body on May 8.
"The scope of investigation comprised financial misconduct and supply chain management and personnel management irregularities," he said.
Bowman Gilfillan was paid R1.3m for its work.
Meanwhile, recently appointed commission chairman Daniel Plaatjies said in an interview the report also highlighted deficiencies in the commission’s procurement and supply chain management systems. An action plan was being implemented to address regulatory, key financial management and accounting systems.
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