The Democratic Alliance (DA) is reiterating our call on the Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, to act decisively against all incidents of corruption, fraud and maladministration in provincial government.
The DA acknowledges actions taken by the MEC of Roads and Public Works, Fufe Makatong, to place the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Roads and Public Works, Bradley Slingers, on precautionary suspension after he was caught travelling with R600 000 cash in his vehicle during working hours, at a roadblock. This cash in transit situation demands urgent investigation.
Slingers, however, is not the only one in this department with a dark cloud over his head.
The Head of Department (HOD), Johnny Mackay, is facing criminal charges for contravention of the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956, during his time as the Acting Municipal Manager of Kai !Garib, yet he remains in his post. The MEC herself was previously reprimanded for failing to ensure that her department complied with a court order in relation to the termination of a Samex contract, but still there has been no consequence management for those who entered into the contract in the first place.
R&PW is not the only department facing a crisis in respect of lack of accountability.
The Health Department’s former HOD, Dr Dion Theys, remains in a senior position regardless of a criminal conviction in relation to irregular leases for nursing accommodation. He is also implicated in two separate criminal cases for irregular procurement of Public Protective Equipment (PPE). The CFO, Mr Daniel Gaborone, has been laterally transferred to head up the finances of the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, even though he is also facing criminal charges in the PPE cases. While appeals and cases may still be ongoing, this is no excuse for the department not having conducted its own internal investigations to guide disciplinary action.
There are many more cases across government departments where consequence management has fallen by the wayside, even the Office of the Premier is not immune. Its deputy-director general, Dr Steven Jonkers, is facing charges of contravening the PFMA and irregularly entering into a security contract, yet he has also been spared internal disciplinary processes.
The ANC’s failure to support the DA’s motion, as tabled during today’s House Sitting, calling on the Premier to ensure political leadership and administrative accountability, demonstrates a lack of true commitment towards combatting corruption. It is up to the Premier, and not the courts, to enforce accountability, thereby instilling ethical leadership and management.
The DA will continue to push for the implementation of consequence management in provincial departments. In the war against corruption, actions speak louder than words.