SIU accuses EC councils of withholding documents

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU)says itsinvestigations into contracts in the Buffalo City Metroand OR Tambo District Municipality have been hampered by persistent non-co-operation from senior municipal officials. Appearing beforeparliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa)on Tuesday, the SIU’s acting Eastern Cape head, Mike Koya, said investigators had struggled to secure meetings and obtain crucial documents. In BCM, the SIU is seeking to investigate the R70m Mdantsane swimming pool project.

The pool complex remains unusable despite the vast amounts of money spent on it. Koya told MPs the unit had repeatedly requested the EY (previously Ernst & Young) forensic report on the project but had yet to receive it. “On May 5 2025, the SIU wrote to BCM to request the report and was informed that the report is in draft [form] and will be shared once finalised.

“On October 14 2025, the SIU wrote another letter requesting the report. “This was after mayor [Princess Faku] had stated at a Cogta portfolio committee meeting in Wild Coast that the report had been handed over … “The SIU never received a response to this letter and the report has to date not been handed over,” Koya said. He said the report was required to motivate for a presidential proclamation authorising a full investigation into the pool complex project. The SIU has also cited delays in it being provided with documentation relating to water-tankering contracts.