Citizens deserve integrity
THE welter of accusations and counter accusations and loud surrounding noises must not distract from the central issue concerning the spat in the city administration: probity.
To begin with it is highly commendable of the City administration to have someone responsible for monitoring moral integrity or probity. It is absolutely correct that citizens should have implicit trust in the integrity of the City administration.
With “state capture” being the word of the year as a result of leaked e-mails, investigative journalism and portfolio committees peeling layer after layer of massive corruption and looting by people who wield enormous real power outside of government, aided and abetted by ministers and the president, an indignant citizenry has the right to know that integrity is alive and well somewhere in South Africa.
The mayor, the City manager and other officials must concentrate on probity as the central issue. In this regard, the first question is whether Melissa Whitehead corruptly, wilfully, incompetently or injudiciously caused the City substantial losses?
Second, did the City manager do everything in his power to act expeditiously and purposefully in discovering all of the facts and laying them before his political principals to take decisive action timeously?
Third, did the executive mayor and mayco member Brett Herron attempt to make the matter go away if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment?
Fourth, did Craig Kesson as probity officer attempt to reach over the heads of his political principals to get someone higher up in the DA political establishment to seize the hot potato that others lower down were reluctant to do?
The issue of probity must remain the central question. Whistle-blowers come up against such stern political opposition and threats that their lives are made unbearable and their careers curtailed. The truth must set everyone free.
Did every actor in the unfolding drama at the City of Cape Town act with integrity and the zeal and commitment to what was in the best interest of the citizens? Who did and who didn’t is all that is important. Other issues surrounding the matter of probity are dross.