Makhura vows to encourage openness in Gauteng
Gauteng’s executive council and all heads of department in the province would be subjected to lifestyle audits, Premier David Makhura said on Monday.
“We want to send a strong message that we are committed to probity, transparency and accountability in the conduct of public affairs. I call on all members of this legislature to join me in volunteering to subject ourselves to lifestyle audits,” Makhura said in the Gauteng legislature in his state of the province address.
Makhura’s announcement follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s message in the National Assembly last week, in reply to the debate on the state of the nation address, that lifestyle audits would be conducted, starting with the executive.
Makhura said citizens were “getting a raw deal from public servants and public officials”.
A new and fresh approach was needed to enforce accountability and delivery. Passing the buck and blame shifting were not acceptable, said Makhura.
The premier had met with the Special Investigating Unit to ensure that all outstanding cases involving Gauteng officials will be “speedily concluded” so that, where necessary, criminal prosecutions could ensue.
It was unacceptable that many forensic investigations were instituted by departments, yet there were no consequences for wrongdoers, Makhura said. “As a province, we have been outspoken and consistent in the fight against corruption. I want to lead a province that is underpinned by high standards of service delivery, accountability, integrity and ethics.”
He will meet directors and heads of departments in the province on Wednesday. The meeting will be to discuss renewal in the public service in the aftermath of the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
More than a 140 psychiatric patients died after the Gauteng government moved them from Life Esidimeni’s facilities to unregistered NGOs.
Makhura spent much of his speech talking about the tragedy and said he would appoint an independent curator to ensure that all the decisions of retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke were implemented.
“Serious governance failures” compromised the quality of care for millions of people who depended on the public healthcare system. The land issue was a particularly pressing one in Gauteng as it was an urban province. The ANC supported land expropriation without compensation at its national conference in December.
Gauteng would be working with municipalities, national departments and state-owned entities to release land for productive use, Makhura said.