DA WANTS ANSWERS ON FINANCE PROSECUTIONS IN GAUTENG

There is a huge amount of known or suspected corruption in the Gauteng Provincial Government, but few cases of successful prosecution. Recently, the Auditor-General Mr Terence Nombembe reflected that in 64% of government departments there were instances in which irregular expenditure had not been prevented mainly due to the inability to prosecute officials who contravene the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

The fact that the PFMA is correctly regarded as an effective law to ensure clean government and transparency seemingly makes no difference. The law is only as good as the means to enforce it.

I will submit questions to the Gauteng Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe to determine whether the provincial government has taken action against officials who have acted in contravention of the PFMA.

It might be the case that charges are being laid against corrupt officials and it also might be the case that people are successfully prosecuted. But if it is so it is not in the public domain. When it is not publicly known that people are being caught and punished, then others will break the law.

To effectively deal with corruption and abuse of public money prosecution must be swift, vigorous and certain. Public officials who commit corruption or are tempted to do so should be given no room to break the law because they believe they can get away with it.

The DA will continue to pursue all channels to ensure government is honest, accountable and transparent.

The MEC must indicate what action has been taken in each instance, if any at all. The public has a right to know.

Statement issued by Mike Moriarty, DA Gauteng Finance Spokesperson, August 7 2012

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