Hon House Chairperson, with reference to the question on what successes have been achieved by the Special Anticorruption Unit for the public service, I can report that the Public Service Anticorruption Unit has forged partnerships with the Special Investigation Unit, the Hawks, and the Department of Defence and Military Veterans in the areas of establishing joint investigation teams into several allegations of corruption-related to misconduct by the public servants.
The unit has also concluded a feasibility study, recommending - this recommendation has come through an Interdepartmental Committee - that, to expand the scope of its capacity, it be established as a government component to effectively deal with such investigations and disciplinary hearings of corruption-related misconduct in the public service.
With regard to the successes that have been enjoyed this far, the unit has been responsible for completing its investigations in 30 cases, where preliminary investigations have now been completed and forensic investigations have now been instituted. In a further eight special cases involving four different departments, this has resulted in R130 000 being recovered in one particular instance. In one department, five further cases have led to further investigations which are now about 60% complete.
Regarding a further set of investigations involving 300 referrals from the Presidential Hotline, 35% of these have been referred to the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Further progress with respect to the developments in the Southern African Customs Union, Sacu, involves the development in special case management system, the protection of whistle blowers by establishing co-operative mechanisms with the office witness protection. The unit has been successful in establishing its own accommodation premises which are now being cleared up for security in Pretoria, and it has engaged in information sharing with the office of the Public Service Commission and the Presidential Hotline.
The Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy, which is our training academy has successfully concluded the training of 16 presiding officers on the subject of cross-examination and questioning techniques.