This is according to the MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho. Tabling the province's 2021/22 budget on Tuesday, Rosho said the level of irregular and fruitless expenditure in the province is unacceptable and drastic measures will be taken to address this challenge. She told MPLs that the Provincial Treasury has now established a panel of experts to assist departments and entities in investigating identified cases of irregular expenditure.

"All suspected cases of irregularities with possible fraud and corruption will be forwarded to SAPS and other law enforcement agencies for further investigations," she highlighted.

Rosho further announced that they are in the process to appoint a service provider for a period of a year to perform lifestyle audits of government employees.

Her statement on irregular expenditure comes just days after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) confirmed that several investigations are underway in the North West provincial departments, including at municipal level.

SIU Head, Andy Mothibi, said the JB Marks Local Municipality and the Ratlou Local Municipality are amongst those currently under investigation by the SIU over Covid-19 PPE tenders.

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