Summary extract of speech by DA MPL Jack Bloom in the debate on the Premier's Annual Report in the Gauteng Legislature on 26 November 2009

Western Cape, Premier Helen Zille has instituted no fewer than 80 anti-corruption investigations in various departments, and similar measures should be taken in Gauteng to root out all the corruption.

I approve of what is happening in the health department to clean up the corruption there, but other departments need the same treatment.

I am sorely disappointed that it appears that a settlement has been reached with Mr Sibusiso Buthelezi, the former head of Public Transport, Roads and Works, to pay him out a year's salary, which is about R1 million.

This is absolutely outrageous. If criminal charges are not laid in connection with everything that has been uncovered by the Peter Harris report, then I will lay them myself.

In this entire annual report there is only one paragraph on anti-corruption activities, and it is all about meetings and summits and frameworks, but no outcome.

This is not good enough.

There needs to be a thorough forensic audit of the Gauteng Youth Commission. We warned that this body would be full of jobs for pals, and would spend recklessly to enrich a few with no real results for the vast mass of unemployed young people, and it looks like this is exactly what happened.

There was irregular expenditure of R10.6 million arising from the Gauteng Youth Commission, and we need to know exactly how its R59 million budget and extra R20 million for voter education was spent.

The Premier's Office needs to gear itself up far more to root out corruption in all departments.

It should crack the whip and ensure that all public servants declare their business interests, and that outside work and gifts are banned.

The tender process should be opened up, with all tenders published on a website and losing businesses given the opportunity to appeal, as happens in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

The Premier's Office is described as the nerve centre of the provincial government. This should mean that it not only feels the pain of ordinary people, but puts in motion intelligent policies and practices to assist everyone to improve themselves.

Anything less is a cruel betrayal of the people of this province.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom, MPL, Democratic Alliance corruption spokesman, November 26 2009

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