Where is Collins Letsoalo? Scopa re-issues subpoena via electronic channels

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has decided to re-issue a subpoena to former CEO of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) Collins Letsoalo after persistent attempts to serve summons through traditional methods fell short.

MPs plan to leverage electronic channels to ensure Letsoalo receives notification of his required appearance at a public hearing scheduled for next week.

This was revealed by Scopa Chairperson Songezo Zibi on Friday when he gave the update on the expected appearance of Letsoalo at a public hearing scheduled in Parliament on Tuesday.

Scopa decided last month to issue a summons to Letsoalo after he allegedly failed to respond to a final letter of demand seeking his voluntary appearance.

The parliamentary inquiry is probing maladministration, financial impropriety, and misuse of public funds at the RAF.

Since the commencement of testimonies earlier this month, several witnesses have implicated Letsoalo in key decisions detrimental to the entity’s well-being.

Addressing the MPs after former acting RAF COO Maria Rambauli gave her testimony, Zibi said the sheriff of the court has sent a return of service to the parliamentary legal services.

“They have attempted to locate Mr Letsoalo at various addresses. They have not been able to find him,” he said.

Zibi said the one address Letsoalo gave to Scopa was not inhabited, and another address appears to have people, but nobody is answering.

“We have then been advised that we can also re-issue electronically, which means it will be sent to every channel that we know that he can access,” he said in reference to notification by text message, email, and a redacted copy of the summons in the parliamentary digital channels.

Zibi also said the electronic summons will have enough information for Letsoalo to know that he was needed in Parliament on Tuesday.

Fatima Ebrahim, parliamentary legal advisor, said Secretary to Parliament Xolile George has authorised the re-issue of the summons to serve Letsoalo via email and the parliamentary website.

“We will put it up there, and I have asked the media unit to ensure that they post it on other social media platforms or whatever they use.”

Ebrahim added that the sheriff has been authorised to drop off a copy of the summons on the door of the residences.

“I am fairly confident Mr Letsoalo is well aware that he needs to be in Parliament on Tuesday, notwithstanding that summons have not been served on him personally. It is already in the public domain, and I would expect that he would be following the proceedings as erstwhile CEO and was aware that the committee commenced with proceedings,” she added.

Zibi said he has learnt that Letsoalo did not have to inform Scopa that he would come to the scheduled public hearing.

“On Tuesday, we must still set aside the day in case he walks through the door and says, ‘I am here, please talk to me’. If, for instance, we schedule something else, he may say, ‘Well, I was going to come, but you guys decided to do something else’.

 “We must be at our meeting after waiting for a reasonable time for him to present himself and make a decision about what to do,” he said.

Obviously, said Zibi, should Letsoalo not come, they will adjourn and make a decision about their next step.

 He also said there were board members scheduled to give their testimonies at public hearings next week.

“We were conscious that we will give everyone an opportunity to know around which time we need them. We had given them a list of dates,” he said.

However, there were board members who asked for rescheduling of the appearance date to specified days.

“The reasons, some of them give, are things that affect all of us. We try to accommodate those members but don’t deviate from our programme.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za