Unisa Refuses to Answer Questions About Dodgy R77 Million Laptop Deal

• Unisa's Vice-Chancellor and vice-principal for finance and others are in hot water following a probe into a dodgy laptop deal
• Proper supply chain management policies were not followed when the university procured laptops at a cost of R77 million
• However, receipts have only revealed a portion of the money leaving a massive shortfall of R57 million

JOHANNESBURG - The University of South Africa (Unisa) has some explaining to do after it refused to answer questions on what it had done to implement the recommendations of an investigation into a R77 million laptop deal.

Professor Puleng LenkaBula and vice-principal for finance Khathu Ramakumba and others are being put under the spotlight following the revelation that proper protocols were not followed for procurement.

For any deals over R50 million, council approval was needed to authorise the purchase. This was not obtained for the laptop deal which cost R77 million according to IOL.

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In addition, Ramakumba was found to have given the go-ahead for cash advances for employees which is another contravention of Unisa's supply chain policy.

Bowmans, a law firm, carried out the investigation and made the recommendations. The law firm wants to interview LenkaBula but she had refused to give the law firm an opportunity to talk to her.

Bowmans had established through its investigation that Unisa bought laptops that cost between R27 000 and R33 000. However, only 686 laptops were accounted for through receipts, leaving a shortfall of R57 million unaccounted for according to the Sunday Times.

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They were arrested by the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority's Investigating Directorate earlier on charges of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.

Eric Wood from the Gupta-linked Regiments Capital and Trillian Capital Partners was also among those arrested. In addition, the five face charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering, according to eNCA.

Source: Briefly News