‘Criminalise meddling in AG office; threats to staff’
THE DA has called on Parliament to strengthen existing laws to ensure that those who interfere with the office of the Auditor-General are criminally charged, following assault and intimidation of the auditor’s personnel.
In a letter written to Parliament in October, Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu detailed attacks against his office and staff by state officials.
DA MP Michael Shackleton said: “We should make it a criminal offence to interfere in the functioning of the office of the Auditor-General, which includes attacking the staff or attempting to bribe the AG’s office.
“In Durban a female auditor was shot while doing her work; other auditors have pulled out because of the intimidation they have faced.
“I am calling for m aking any interference in the functioning of the AG’s office a criminal act,” said Shackleton.
In the letter, dated October 15 and addressed to Parliament’s standing committee on the auditor-general, Makwetu detailed instances of intimidation
at the municipalities of eThekwini, Emfuleni, Tshwane, Madibeng and Moretele.
Makwetu said these incidents posed a threat to the “life and limb of innocent professionals employed” by the AG and put the broader public interest at risk.
The AG is looking to get tougher on South African municipalities that are in financial crisis, with some being placed under administration.
In this year alone, eight North West municipalities were put under administration.
Only 33 out of 257 municipalities obtained clean audits in the 2016/17 financial year.
The chairperson of the committee on the AG, Nthabiseng Khunou, said while they were working on plans to intensify security of the Auditor-General’s office, there needs to be political leadership first and foremost.
“The office of the AG is the highest office which makes sure that everybody accounts for the monies the taxpayer has paid.
“If you have an office of such authority that is constantly being
attacked we are not safe. It cannot be that in such a high office there is a disturbance preventing them from doing their job; we have to take serious steps,” said Khunou.
She said the committee was in discussion with the police, Justice Department and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) to come up with a solution on the matter.
The committee is expected to meet with different stakeholders in 2019 to hear plans to protect the Auditor-General’s office.
“The committee agreed, with the general office of the police, the DG from Justice and Local Government. We agreed that it should be a political decision where we need to have the ministers of Police, Justice and Cogta to come in and propose solutions to make sure that we protect this office.
“Imagine you’re going to audit books but you’re there with a lot of police.
“That cannot be a solution at all. “We need to deal with the root cause. We need to have people who can do their job diligently,” said Khunou.