In Conversation With Matthew Parks- COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has called on political leaders to allow the Board of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to complete its oversight responsibilities without interference, following allegations surrounding the PIC’s suspended Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Dlamini. The federation says it is concerned by whistleblower allegations relating to investments in Acapulco and Lanseria Airport, as well as claims that politicians may be attempting to influence investigations or pressure the removal of the PIC Board before those investigations are completed. At the centre of the debate is one of South Africa’s most influential financial institutions. The Public Investment Corporation is Africa’s largest asset manager, managing more than R3 trillion on behalf of government employees through the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), as well as other public sector funds. Its investment decisions have a direct impact on the retirement savings of millions of public servants, including teachers, nurses, police officers and other government employees. Because of the enormous value of the assets under its management, governance at the PIC has been under intense public scrutiny for several years. Previous commissions of inquiry, including the Mpati Commission, uncovered governance weaknesses and concerns about certain investment decisions, leading to calls for stronger oversight, improved transparency and tighter accountability. Instagram · Twitter