PSC Report: State not doing enough to stop corruption
The Public Service Commission (PSC) Report on Corruption in the Public Service discussed in parliament today confirms the need for a dedicated anti-corruption unit and for legislation to prevent senior government officials from doing business with the state.
The Director General (DG) of the Public Service Commission, Prof Richard Levin, told the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration today that public sector procurement is plagued by "parasitic forms of accumulation", that anti-corruption strategies are uneven and that the consequences of failures to adhere to anti-corruption mechanisms are inadequate.
Some of the PSC's most disconcerting findings include that:
- Systematic monitoring of corruption is poor, with only 50% of departments keeping databases on corruption.
- Minimum anti-corruption capabilities are not in place.
- The monitoring and implementation of the Financial Disclosures Framework is not proving efficient in managing the conflicts of interests of senior managers. In Departments where financial disclosures were scrutinised, there was enormous overlap between the official responsibilities and private business interests of senior managers (29% for Public Works, 28% for Transport, 28% for Human Settlements, and 24% in Co-operative Governance).
- The volume of cases of financial misconduct has decreased slightly from 1135 in 2009/10 to 1035 in 2010/11, the cost of financial misconduct has increased significantly and there has been a steady increase in the number of senior managers involved in financial misconduct.
- In 76% of cases, not criminal action was taken against officials involved in financial misconduct.
While 1054 officials were dismissed from the public service, 341 were given final written warnings and 202 were prosecuted for corrupt activities, the DG could not answer questions on how many public officials were transferred to other departments after complaints were lodged against them through the Anti-Corruption Hotline.
The PSC report confirmed that there is a lack of investigative capacity by departments to deal with cases reported through the Anti-Corruption Hotline and highlighted the need for "dedicated capacity" and resources to deal with corruption. This echoes the sentiment expressed by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela yesterday, when she told business leaders that she believes South Africa must establish an anti-corruption unit.
Without the political will and capacity to monitor and root out corruption, corrupt public officials will continue to loot he public purse.
The DG also expressly supported the idea that there should be legislation preventing senior government officials for doing business with the state.
The DA has long called for such legislation, but our efforts were thwarted by ANC members of the Portfolio Committee on Private Member's Legislative Proposals. Now that Members of Parliament can introduce legislation directly to their committee, we will consider renewing our calls for national legislation emulating the anti-graft legislation in the DA-run Western Cape to root out the corruption that occurs when state officials are allowed to conduct business with government.
Corrupt activities allow valuable state resources to go to fat cat officials rather than South African communities in need of services. The PSC's findings should spur government into action. Its complacency on corruption is not serving the people of South Africa.
Statement issued by Kobus Marais MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration, November 7 2012
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