Private security company Dephethogo is still being paid millions by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment even after it was caught out for using a fake UIF certificate and litigation began, GroundUp writes.

Dephethogo, operating out of Klerksdorp, won a R144m tender using the fake certificate. But even after Dephethogo’s agreement with the DFFE was cancelled, it still submitted seven invoices totalling almost R4.3m, all of which were paid.

The invoices show that the security company was paid a total amount of R106m by the department between 2021 and 2023.

Peter Mbelengwa, DFFE spokesperson, said because there were pending labour and litigation proceedings, the department could not comment.

Dephethogo didn’t respond to questions from GroundUp.

Audit firm Morar’s investigation report found the members of the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) were the main culprits for the fake UIF certificate not being spotted. Morar’s report said it was clear the document did not have a stamp from the Department of Labour.

Morar also found the BEC had scored Dephethogo too high in several areas of evaluation and that some members had changed their original scores.

According to the report, if the scores were not changed, Dephethogo would not have reached the minimum score of 75% needed to pass the evaluation.

When Morar questioned members of the BEC, several stated that they changed their scores when they were advised to do so by the supply chain management technical advisers.

These advisers are non-voting members who serve on the committee as experts and help guide BEC members.

Morar recommended that members of the BEC face disciplinary action for negligent conduct.

The members of the BEC are currently facing internal disciplinary action.

Full GroundUp report