The cash payment system at reserves increases risk of theft and corruption
20 April 2022
It is extremely worrying that the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure (DID) is only now considering installing a cashless payment system at its nature reserves, five years after the Democratic Alliance raised concerns about cash being stored on the premises.
This as a result of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) being under severe pressure to increase its own revenue.
In 2017, I asked questions to the then DID MEC for Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo regarding the forensic investigations instigated into the cash management at reserves under the control of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), specifically focusing on the loss of revenue from the nature reserves, and particularly at the Roodeplaat Dam facility.
This facility currently has no proper controls in place to account for the exact amount of revenue collected from the gate fees charged. According to whistleblowers that spoke to me, every Friday a G-Fleet vehicle would pick up the cash from the Roodeplaat Dam gate office and would leave without a proper reconciliation of exactly how much cash was collected and then deposited in the GPG bank account.
This situation created a prime opportunity for theft and corruption to occur. Thus, the GPG has actually no idea how much revenue each facility under its control brought in as a means of government generating its own revenue.
It is clear that even before MEC Tasneem Motara was appointed that there were deep-seated issues within the department.
Tourism sites, like nature reserves, play a pivotal role in ensuring that our tourism industry grows and that more job opportunities are created. But this can only be done if the GPG is serious about ensuring that every loophole that could lead to corruption is closed.
The fact that it has taken GPG five years to realise that a cashless pay point system is needed to ensure enhanced revenue collection is deeply concerning.
We will be using all the mechanisms at our disposal to engage with the MEC for Finance and e-Government, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and MEC Tasneem Motara for Infrastructure Development, to ensure that this cashless pay point system does indeed become a reality and that the procurement for this service is done in an open and transparent manner.
Issued by Adriana Randall, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Finance and e-Government, 20 April 2022
