Not a single cent of the R51.8 million CCIFSA scandal has been recovered.
And Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie only sent the matter to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on 1 September.
That is almost four months after he announced in May that everyone implicated would be referred to the Hawks and the SIU.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) made the admission in written replies to EFF MP Eugene Mthethwa.
“Nothing in principle prevents recovery, although there are practical and legal obstacles. No amount has been recovered,” the Department said.
The SIU cannot start work yet. It needs a proclamation signed by the President.
The Department confirmed it is still asking for one.
It said: “The Minister has noted the concerns raised about gaps in the investigative process and in consequence management. The forensic investigation was commissioned by the Department in March 2025 and its final report was issued on 6 February 2026. To address the gaps, the Minister has directed the Accounting Officer to:
(a) complete the disciplinary or corrective action recommended against the officials concerned and report the outcome to the Portfolio Committee;
(b) implement the investigators’ other recommendations, including the consideration of R13 077 453,09 as irregular expenditure;
and
(c) obtain a legal opinion on recovering the unspent and unaccounted-for funds, notwithstanding the investigators’ recommendation against recovery.
” Following the Committee’s recommendation, the Minister referred the matter to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on 1 September 2026 for final determinations to be made, in particular on whether any funds can be recovered from implicated individuals in their personal capacities. The SIU acknowledged receipt on 11 September 2026 and registered the matter under reference CRMS936239; its acknowledgement is attached.”
The replies do not mention the Hawks at all.
The forensic investigators actually advised against chasing the money. McKenzie wants a legal opinion on chasing it anyway.
The Department explained: “The forensic investigators recommended against recovering the funds that were not returned, because CCIFSA is not a federation regulated by legislation, has no known assets, and its board changed between 2014 and 2024. The Minister does not regard that as the end of the matter, however.
“The funding agreements entitle the Department to recover unspent and unaccounted-for funds from CCIFSA. CCIFSA is a registered non-profit company, so its directors may be held personally liable under section 77 of the Companies Act, 2008, where the requirements of that section are met. The Department has asked for a legal opinion on such an approach, including whether any claims have prescribed as well as the proclamation of an SIU investigation following the Minister’s referral of 1 September 2026. Should the SIU be authorised to investigate, it may also institute civil proceedings for recovery in the Special Tribunal. The Department will pursue recovery where the outcome supports this.”
That means former CCIFSA directors could be made to pay out of their own pockets.
The Minister agreed with Mthethwa that CCIFSA’s leaders must answer.
“The Minister agrees that members of CCIFSA’s governing structures who failed in their fiduciary duties must be held accountable, individually and collectively, in accordance with the law,” the Department said.
It listed the forensic findings: “The forensic investigation found, among other things, that an unspent balance of R5 438 900,35 was not refunded as CCIFSA’s agreement required, that its 2019 close-out report contained misleading financial information, and that its 2018/19 financial statements misrepresented the USIBA expenditure as administration and management fees.
” Whether a particular office bearer breached his or her duties must still be established on evidence, which is why the Minister referred the matter to the SIU on 1 September 2026 and is taking legal advice on the best approach in handling this.”
Two serving DSAC officials face disciplinary action. Former officials are out of the Department’s reach for discipline.
But the Department said they “remain liable to civil recovery and, where the evidence supports it, referral for criminal prosecution, including under section 86 of the PFMA where applicable.”
McKenzie released the Gobodo forensic findings on 7 May. The probe covered R51.8 million paid to CCIFSA between 2014/15 and 2023/24.
At Parliament’s sport, arts and culture committee on 4 August, the investigators said their work was slowed by missing documents and poor cooperation from some DSAC officials and former CCIFSA board members.
The full forensic report, which names the implicated officials, is still not public.