SIU says the Free State stock exchange scandal exposes a deep moral crisis

Following an investigation into the Free State government’s stock exchange scandal, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said the province is grappling with a deep moral crisis.

The SIU has released the findings of its three-year investigation into the unlawful awarding of government grants in the province.

The investigation found that several senior officials were involved in irregularly awarding bursaries to students, costing the state millions of rand.

Acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said corruption appears to have been normalized within some parts of the government.

“The SIU investigation has revealed not only mismanagement, but a moral failure, a breakdown of civic duty and ethical leadership. Officials have turned opportunity into exploitation and self-interested servitude. They have betrayed the people’s trust and the vision of our democracy.”