Calls for Sopa to address corruption

OPPOSITION parties in KwaZuluNatal want Premier Willies Mchunu to announce measures to intensify the war against corrupt government officials when he delivers his State of the Province Address (Sopa) this week.

The address on Wednesday will be preceded by a traditional opening of the provincial parliament by King Goodwill Zwelithini tomorrow.

DA provincial leader MPL Zwakele Mncwango said he was concerned about corruption at various municipalities. He said Msunduzi Municipality, was on the verge of collapse as it was now running at a negative budget.

“We don’t hear anything from the premier when the capital city is full of garbage,” he said.

He said that Msunduzi should be under administration.

“Why should the treasury keep on rescuing Msunduzi instead of dissolving it?” he asked.

“If we look back at last year’s Sopa, the premier announced a lifestyle audit for all cabinet members, but this has not happened,” said Mncwango.

He said the oncology units at government hospitals in the province were still in a crisis.

IFP MPL Blessed Gwala said Mchunu should announce plans to align the provincial budget to service delivery programmes.

“The money is there, but the provincial government fails to co-ordinate, and the money is not used according to the premier’s visions.”

Gwala said he expected Mchunu to capacitate the government to deal with corruption.

“There should investigations so that those who are implicated are brought to book, and for the justice system to deal with them.

“Currently investigations are done covertly and you find people who are implicated resigning from their positions and re-employed somewhere in the same government,” he said.

Political analyst Protas Madlala said he was concerned that the provincial government had not been seen acting against those involved in corruption.

“There are lots of names linked with corruption, but we don’t see people getting arrested and charged.”

He also called on the premier to talk about strikes at universities in the province.

“They (universities) are currently shut down. Even though they form part of a national competency, if they are in the province they should be a concern to the premier,” he said.

ANC provincial spokesperson Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said the party was not prepared to speak before Mchunu’s address.

“Sopa should be in line with ANC policies,” she said.

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