NW Government ducks and dives on its corruption pronouncements

24 February 2022

Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbite in English by Freddy Sonakile.  

Today's Office of the Premier and Provincial Treasury presentation to the Portfolio Committee of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs is a blatant admission that the North West Government has no appetite to deal with corruption. 

Former Premier Job Mokgoro, in his 2021 State of the Province Adress (SOPA), had indicated that effective from April 2021, a Forensic Investigations Unit would be established, and lifestyle audits would be conducted on all Members of the Executive Committee.  

Today's presentation from Provincial Treasury indicates that “engagements are still ongoing between the Provincial Treasury and the Office of Premier as to where the forensic unit will be located”. A year later, both offices are still arguing where to locate the Unit. What is the interest behind the two offices to contest the Unit's location?

On the Forensic Investigations that the provincial government has undertaken against departments, State-Owned Entities and Municipalities since 2014, the Office of the Premier presented an empty report that only spoke to nine investigations, with only one having detailed progress (outlining the timeline and consequence management undertaken). This is not a true reflection in a province riddled with corruption. Their report reflects under-reporting and some information is hidden.

The Office of the Premier report did not have anything on lifestyle audits.  We have previously requested a timeframe on the expected completion of the audits.  We also asked that the Premier extend the audits to Members of the Provincial Legislature.  There is no movement to date, and the Premier is silent on the issue pronounced by his predecessor.

As the Democratic Alliance, we align ourselves with the Committee's decision that the Premier must summon all Accounting Officers and Heads of the Departments to report on all investigations undertaken by their respective institutions and should re-appear before the Committee.  The reports will remain empty until it covers all forensic investigations undertaken, as well as details of the lifestyle audits.  The Anti-Corruption Unit's role should also be compared with the Forensic Investigation Unit.

Until the NW Government takes proactive action against corruption, all talk on anti-corruption that the Premier recently reiterated in his 2022 SOPA remains a fallacy.

Issued by Freddy Sonakile, DA North West Spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, 24 February 2022