Carnage at the Master’s Office: Justice Department suspends 13 officials pending investigation

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has suspended thirteen (13) senior managers and other officials pending the outcome of investigations into allegations of financial irregularities and maladministration in the offices of the Master of the High Court and Family Law Services..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here..By Chris Steyn.The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has suspended thirteen (13) senior managers and other officials pending the outcome of investigations into allegations of financial irregularities and maladministration in the offices of the Master of the High Court and Family Law Services. .___STEADY_PAYWALL___.In its statement, the department identified the suspended officials as the Master of the North Gauteng High Court, the Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Deputy Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Assistant Master of the North Gauteng High Court, the Master of the High Court Free State, the Assistant Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Assistant Master of the North Gauteng High Court, the Deputy Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Accounting Clerk for the Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Estate Controller for the Master of the South Gauteng High Court, the Assistant Master of the North Gauteng High Court, the Deputy Master of the High Court Free State, and the Estate Controller for the Master of the Limpopo Division of the High Court, Polokwane..Their suspensions are the result of a four-year-long investigation by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) into the financial affairs of the Masters Office. .The wide-ranging investigation involved probes into the administration of estates of deceased persons; the winding up of estates of insolvent persons; the protection and administration of the funds of minors, contractually incapacitated and undermined and absent heirs, which have been paid into the Guardian's Fund; the supervision of the administration of companies and close corporation in liquidation; the safeguarding of all documentary material in respect of estates, insolvencies and liquidations; the processing of enquiries by executors, attorneys, beneficiaries and other interested parties; and the appointment of executors, trustees, curators and liquidators..The probe also looked into "any losses or prejudice suffered by the Master's Offices or the State as a result of such maladministration"..It further examined the alleged remuneration of fictitious officials or employees at the Master's offices; appointment of service providers; alleged incurring and unauthorised, irregular or fruitless or wasteful expenditure in respect of travel, and subsistence and accommodation costs for officials who perform work at Masters' offices other than the office at which they are or were appointed in terms of the employment contract. .Other maladministration probed included the appointment of officials or employees at the Masters offices in a manner that was contrary to applicable legislation; as well as alleged irregular procurements..The department also commissioned a forensic audit report the findings of which, along with those of the SIU, "prompted consequence management"..The department says internal departmental investigations are continuing, including in the provincial offices, "and further actions will be taken where there is evidence of wrongdoing"..Meanwhile, the department has appointed other officials to act in the position of the suspended to ensure business continuity of service delivery. ."Arrangements are being made for swift disciplinary processes to unfold without any undue delay"..The suspensions have been hailed by veteran fraud investigator Bart Henderson who says: "In my view this is possibly the single most important investigation, for the country and economy, conducted by the SIU – who I hold in very high regard – since its inception by a long shot, and beyond a shadow of doubt.."The sheer scope of the suspensions announced by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development stemming from the SIU investigations is quite breathtaking and long overdue.".According to Henderson, corruption in the Masters Office has been "seriously underrated, under estimated and undervalued. ."Tens, if not hundreds of billions of rands in assets and wealth, is controlled by a thoroughly corrupted, seemingly captured system, a system falling squarely under the Department of Justice.."I shudder to think of the quantum involved and pain and suffering, the destruction, that's already been caused and inflicted on an unsuspecting public, sparing no demographic, by the corruption within the Masters Office. ."Those found guilty in this matter, as far as economic crimes and white-collar criminals go, could not be anything less than the basest and most disgusting of their kind. They are the worst, of the worst, and must be dealt with most harshly.".Henderson recalls how Mathole Motshekga, lawyer, African National Congress (ANC) NEC member, former Chief Whip, MP and husband of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, made headlines the year before last over allegations that he had misled Parliament on his shareholding in a major liquidation company, Sechaba Trust.."These revelations formed part of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation into alleged corruption at the Master of the High Court which unearthed irregularities in Motshekga's declared shareholding in the company.."Sechaba was awarded liquidation rights to that of commercial airline operator Comair, Trillian and African Global Operations/Bosasa, and a host of other high-profile liquidations by suspended Tessie Bezuidenhout of the Masters Office over allegations she instructed officials to appoint certain liquidators in the Bosasa matter – including Sechaba.."It came to light that Motshekga was a business partner in Sechaba of liquidator Cloete Murray who was assassinated on the Ben Schoeman Highway in March 2023.."Almost exactly a year later one Johan le Roux, described as a Mpumalanga farmer was shot multiple times on his farm in White River, and walked 2km before finding help. ."This was a misnomer as Johan le Roux is no ordinary farmer, but a strident and significant thorn in the side of the liquidations industry and more importantly the Masters Office and its 'capture'. .What is generally little known, is Johan le Roux is extremely well known within the liquidations industry and the Masters Office. I discussed the possibility of his outspoken criticism of the Masters Office and corruption within the liquidations industry on numerous occasions with him, and that this might lead to violence to silence him, prior to his attack. ."It will take a lot to convince me the attack on le Roux was not an orchestrated attempted hit. One that very nearly succeeded in costing him his life.".Read also:.Anarchy is brewing – be prepared!: General Roland de VriesZuma's uMkhonto we Sizwe party threatens ANC dominance ahead of elections: KatzenellenbogenJudge Hlophe's suspension took shockingly long and more 'lawfare' is expected – Jeremy Gauntlett, SC

Carnage at the Master’s Office: Justice Department suspends 13 officials pending investigation

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