Too little, too late, Mr President

This afternoon's announcement that President Zuma has submitted a list of financial interests to the Secretary of Cabinet in no way concludes the matter of his initial non-disclosure.

Making this information available now does nothing to change the fact that the President violated section 5 of the Executive Ethics Code, by failing to submit his financial interests within 60 days of taking office, and that there must be repercussions commensurate to his misconduct.

The President's disclosure, a full 245 days late, does nothing to nullify the need for there to be consequences any more or less than handing in your tax returns nine months late would do.

Mr. Hulley has also failed to explain either why the President made this disclosure 245 days late, or why, after claiming that there was legal ambiguity, he has now evidently changed his mind. Neither the administration nor Mr. Hulley have at any stage even bothered to explain what this legal ambiguity may have been. The President has utterly failed to provide the answers to these questions that the South African public deserve from their President.

Nor does the statement released by Mr. Hulley make any genuine attempt to address the primary issue at stake here, which is transparency. That principle has been violated. As a public representative the President is required to timeously declare, in an open and transparent manner, all of his interests. As a public servant, he is obligated to do so in order to demonstrate that the decisions he makes cannot be influenced by his personal circumstances. His impartiality is critical if he is to continue to, at all times, defend the public interest, and by failing to meet the requirements of the Ethics Code, he has severely damaged any notion that he is being open and transparent with the South African people.

The DA has taken the matter of the President's non-disclosure to the Public Protector, who is compelled, in terms of section 3(1) of the Executive Members' Ethics Act, to produce a written report investigating the President's actions. This is not something that is contingent on whether the President, 245 days late, decides to hand in the documentation - it will go ahead, and it must hold the President to account for his non-compliance.

Apart from breaking the law, the President's actions undermined the fundamental values that government is expected to espouse - transparency and accountability. His conduct raises serious questions about his ability to continue to lead the South African people. It's too little, too late, Mr President.

Statement issued by Athol Trollip, MP, Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader, March 10 2010

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