Parliament, Wednesday, 6 May 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development today raised serious concerns about the funding model of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), warning that it constrains the unit’s workforce and, ultimately, its ability to carry out its mandate effectively.
The committee received a briefing on the SIU’s annual performance plan (APP) and budget for the 2026/27 financial year. The SIU indicated that it aims to recover cash or assets worth R2 billion in the current financial year, up from R1 billion in 2025/26. In terms of setting aside contracts or having them declared invalid, the SIU has set a target of R6 billion, compared to R5 billion in the previous year. However, the committee heard that the SIU’s allocated grant funding of R487,759,000 for 2026/27 falls significantly short of its operational requirements.
Committee Chairperson, Mr Xola Nqola, said Members were unanimous in their concern about the SIU’s funding model. “The SIU acts on proclamations issued by the President to investigate maladministration, yet it is required to recover its costs from the very institutions it investigates,” he said.
The committee was informed that since its engagement with the SIU last year – when the unit reported being owed over R1 billion – the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has intervened by writing to implicated entities. As a result, the SIU has recovered R643 million in payments, representing its highest annual recovery from debtors to date.
Despite this progress, the SIU highlighted ongoing challenges in collecting revenue from state institutions under investigation, which negatively affect its financial sustainability. Some of these entities, particularly municipalities, are bankrupt or insolvent. In addition, the proportion of grant income relative to total budgeted costs is declining, from approximately 50% to below 40%. The SIU also noted administrative shortcomings, including the failure in some instances to attach status reports to invoices submitted to accounting officers for payment approval.
Over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period, the SIU’s headcount is projected to grow by 7.1%, increasing from 822 employees in 2025/26 to 1,037 by 2028/29. This expansion is intended to address increasing investigative complexity, the multi-year nature of proclamations and the need to maintain specialised capacity across legal, forensic, digital, governance and support functions. However, the SIU cautioned that, under current funding projections, it will not be able to meet this staffing target.
Mr Nqola said the committee has resolved to request a dedicated presentation on the SIU’s funding model and broader fiscal constraints. “This will enable Parliament to consider how best to support the SIU,” he said.
The committee also expressed concern that the SIU has classified the risk related to the protection of whistleblowers as “medium” rather than “high.” Mr Nqola warned that whistleblower protection is an escalating challenge in South Africa. “As corruption increases, individuals who come forward to expose wrongdoing face serious threats, including violence and, in some cases, loss of life. This creates a climate of fear and undermines public confidence in the state’s ability to provide adequate protection,” he cautioned.
Mr Nqola further noted that existing legislation, including the Protected Disclosures Act, may not provide sufficient safeguards for whistleblowers, as evidenced by recent incidents involving the killing of witnesses. He called for greater public awareness of available protections, as well as strengthened measures to improve their effectiveness.
The committee agreed on the need for a joint engagement with the National Prosecuting Authority and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to address delays in processing SIU referrals. “We must find ways to eliminate bottlenecks in the referral system. Otherwise, the SIU risks becoming an institution focused on recoveries without consequence management, where wrongdoing goes unpunished,” Mr Nqola concluded.
The committee also received a presentation from Legal Aid South Africa on its APP and budget for the 2026/27 financial year. The committee commended them for the work it does with limited resources but cautioned that a reduction in funding would be a disservice to the poor and marginalise to access justice.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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