Premier Lesufi Continues to Shield Corrupt Officials and Politicians

Dear Editor

Since 2019, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has asked for the reports of all completed forensic investigations to be made public by the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG).

Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears, and instead, we have been given empty promises year after year regarding the release of these reports.

On Friday, we once again wrote to the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, requesting that all completed forensic reports be made public. This same request was made on 13 September 2024, which fell on deaf ears. The Premier had until the close of business yesterday to deliver the reports to our office. It came as no surprise that we still do not have the reports.

Year after year, millions of rands in taxpayers’ money are lost to corruption, particularly in government departments.

The forensic investigations undertaken by the GPG are meant to determine whether any corrupt activities have been taking place in government. By releasing these reports, Premier Lesufi will show that his government has nothing to hide and is serious about clamping down on corruption.

Despite the release of the AngloGold Ashanti report, the Tembisa Hospital report, and the Driving Licence Testing Centre reports, there are still many others that need to be released.

Recently, it came to light that a forensic audit launched into the Gauteng Department of Social Development had revealed that the director of the Sustainable Livelihoods programme, July Maphosa, had resigned in 2018 after he was accused of fraud and soliciting bribes. Furthermore, the forensic audit, which began in 2018, also revealed that between 2014 and 2018, a huge portion of the annual budget for the programme went to three non-profit organisations that shared directors.

The contents of this forensic audit have still not been made public. This department plays a critical role in uplifting the lives of Gauteng residents. However, this cannot be done if only a connected few are given tenders to deliver services.

In addition, a forensic investigation was meant to be undertaken into the conditions at Rahima Moosa Hospital; this has still not started.

It is clear that when corruption occurs, there are only a connected few individuals that benefit, to the detriment of our residents.

Furthermore, the lifestyle audits that Premier Lesufi claims have been completed have not been made public. For the last two years, we have been assured that this process has been completed. These lifestyle audits are also critical to clamping down on corruption.

Corrupt activities in the province take away valuable money from service delivery, putting the needs of our residents on the backfoot. Furthermore, additional money is spent on forensic investigations, of which we are never told whether the recommendations are indeed being implemented.

In addition, little to no protection is offered to whistleblowers to come forward with information regarding alleged corrupt activities in provincial government departments.

For far too long we have heard about Premier Lesufi’s commitment to run a clean government, but with the reports still not public, we question what he has to hide.

Running a clean government means exposing corruption, even if it means that politicians of the ruling government are implicated. Many of these investigations started in 2016 under former Premier David Makhura.

Premier Lesufi, do the right thing and release the reports on all the completed forensic investigations today. Take the public into your confidence and release the reports. Implement the recommendations of the report and start the process to recover all the money lost to corruption.

This is why cadre deployment needs to end so that only officials who are fit for duty are appointed.

The DA will continue to fight for the release of these reports so that our residents can know the true extent of corruption in the province. The whistleblowers have only released a portion of the damning Social Development forensic investigations reports that should have been released a long time ago. These reports are gathering dust in your office carboards, and those implicated continue to walk freely without facing the consequences of their actions.

A DA government will ensure that when forensic investigations are undertaken, the findings of these investigations are made public immediately. The recommendations in the report will be implemented, and all the monies that have been lost to corruption will be recovered.

By doing this, investor confidence will be bolstered, and more money will be available to deliver the services that our residents deserve. Protection will also be offered to whistleblowers who come forward with information on alleged corrupt practices.

The DA will also be approaching the Auditor General and the Public Protector to look into why the reports were not made public.

Regards

Solly Msimanga MPL
Leader of the Official Opposition- Gauteng