COSATU backs anti-corruption bill
The Congress of South African Trade Unions supports the DPSA's proposed new Public Administration Management Bill, which will ban sitting civil servants from taking jobs with companies involved in, or seeking business deals with, public bodies, and enforce a year-long ‘cooling-off period' after they leave office before they can tender for public works (see report).
The aim is to stop officials from using tenders for public works to benefit themselves or their families, and to impose a R1-million fine for individuals and companies found guilty of what is referred to as ‘javelin throwing' - the practice of civil servants resigning to join companies, which receive payments from public bodies they themselves awarded tenders to.
There should now be a national debate, not just in Parliament, but throughout society, on how to put a stop to this national scandal of public servants using their official positions to enrich themselves and their families.
The urgent need for new legislation was exposed by the recent report by the auditor-general that more than 2000 civil servants and their relatives have been awarded tenders worth R600-million by companies in which they had direct or indirect links.
The ‘cooling-off period' was promised in the ANC's 1999 election manifesto but it has never been vigorously pursued.
COSATU however agrees with Themba Godi, Chairperson of Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts, that the proposed one-year ‘cooling-off period' while it is a step forward, does not go far enough. As well as a total ban on civil servants doing private business while in office, this should last for at least five years after they have left.
The federation believes that everyone appointed to a position to serve the people must do that alone. The law must explicitly state that if it is found that an official, or family member of an official or politician, benefited from a tender, that tender must be scrapped and tender awarded to the next company.
Otherwise the temptation to use the official position to advance the business interests becomes too great. Even if technically legal, if a public servant's family members are seen to be benefitting from tenders for public works, it still creates a bad smell and the suspicion amongst the local community that there is an element of corruption.
The law must be passed as quickly as possible and then rigorously enforced. Corruption is a cancer eating away at the fabric of society and a stain on our democracy. COSATU pledges its total support for this law and any other measures to root out corruption.
Statement issued by COSATU, August 11 2009
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Comments
By the time the Bill is passed through Parliament, it could be several months. In this time a lot could happen - like covering tracks, etc. When passed, the Bill should be retrospect to 1999; the Assets Forfeiture Unit should come into the investigation; . .more
by Mahmood on August 11 2009, 23:27
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The bill should be retrospect to 1994. If all who had their hands in the trough get fined R1 million, the ANC can have another big party and maybe leave a little bit for the poor instead of asking taxpayers for more.
by Molly on August 12 2009, 16:45
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