Civil society organisations, including Corruption Watch, have issued a statement denouncing the anti-democratic antics of the EFF against the Zondo commission into state capture. If the EFF has the evidence it claims it has against certain people, says the CSO group, it must lay such before the commission and show that is serious about fighting state capture, rather than indulging in vindictive threats with nothing to back them up.
The Public Audit Act amendment bill was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa a week ago. The law gives the Auditor-General more power to act against officials and employees who waste taxpayers’ money, as well as those who are aware that money is being siphoned but decline to against the culprits. These functions include issuing a certificate of debt for failing to implement the AG’s recommendations if financial loss was involved, and taking binding remedial action for failing to implement the AG’s recommendations.
A treasury in disarray – this was the main focus of this week’s testimony at the Zondo Commission. Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his former director-general Lungisa Fuzile painted a disturbing – and at times, amusing – picture of the goings-on in National Treasury during 2014 and 2015.
Insults and derogatory statements, such as those made yesterday by EFF leader Julius Malema, severely undermines the seriousness of the work being done by the Zondo Commission, and could negatively influence the willingness of witnesses to give vital testimony. CW has called on Deputy Chief Justice Zondo to hold Malema to account for his disrespectful words.
This year’s Public Finance Management Act audit results paint yet another grim picture of more regression than improvement. While the audit results of 43 auditees improved, said Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu, tabling the report in Parliament yesterday, they were overshadowed by the 73 that regressed from the previous year. The education, health and public works departments were the worst offenders, with only two departments across these sectors receiving clean audit opinions.
The selection panel tasked with recommending suitable candidates for the post of national director of public prosecutions has wasted no time in narrowing down ita original shortlist to a final five candidates. The panel presented the final five names to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will now deliberate on the matter and make a decision soon.
A new survey on ethical practises in South Africa reveals that one in four believe financial success is more important than doing the right thing – while 25% in the public sector say they fear for their lives when reporting wrongdoing.
After a month-long break, the Zondo Commission into allegations of state capture resumed on 12 November, and immediately gave South Africans much to think about. From former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan detailing the interference of former president Jacob Zuma in leadership issues in SOEs, to former GCIS head Mzwanele Manyi pointing fingers at his successor Phumla Williams, it was an interesting first week back.
The process of interviewing candidates for the position of national director of public prosecutions is under way. What do we know about the illustrious bunch of interviewees? Investigative journalist Mandy Wiener has compiled a short background on each of them.