Johannesburg: Preliminary investigations into three of five forensic investigations in the North West showed a flagrant disregard for procurement regulations by officials, Premier Maureen Modiselle said yesterday. At the weekend Ms Modiselle received interim reports on investigations she commissioned into her own office, along with the provincial departments of health, social development and agriculture.

The North West is among the provinces worst affected by dysfunctional municipalities, with many, including in the capital Mafikeng, under the administration of the provincial government. The province is also struggling to heal divisions in the local leadership of the African National Congress (ANC), divisions which have fanned factional battles over tenders and key appointments.

Earlier this month an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit netted its first suspect with the arrest of a former municipal manager.  Ms Modiselle said while auditors were yet to submit status reports into the departments of education as well as sports and culture, the first results confirmed her suspicions. Officials habitually contravened provisions of the Public Finance Management Act. "The reports seem to implicate senior and junior public servants acting in concert with some entities doing business with government."

While it is still too early to draw concrete conclusions, she is to meet auditors this week to discuss the investigation, she said.

Ms Modiselle also announced the cancellation of a government-issued credit card used by former sports MEC Grace Bothman, sacked earlier this month for allegedly undermining Ms Modiselle.  The card was cancelled after information was received that "numerous transactions have gone through which have been positively linked to the credit card, days after Bothman was fired on August 16".

The South African Communist Party's Kaizer Mohau called the outcome of the investigation "artificial" and asked why it had come soon after calls by the party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions for Ms Modiselle's removal.