R2K International Anti-Corruption Day Statement: Cogta must tackle corruption in local government!

Today is International Anti-Corruption Day, a day on which we have to take stock of what steps we have and are taking to counter and eradicate this economic and social scourge that robs the poor and the vulnerable of a chance at a decent living. R2K has written an open letter to the Minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to address high-level corruption in local government.  

CORRUPTION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT 

The revelations at the State Capture Commission over the past year have given us some insight into the extent of how public officials and private interests have looted public funds and resources meant for development for their own private gain.  In doing so, they have had a direct, negative impact on all our lives. 

And in the local government sphere, for which you have the responsibility, we note with alarm the findings of the Auditor-General for the past financial year. Only 8% of local authorities were given clean audits and over R21bn was spent irregularly. While competence and the poor economic climate may be factors in creating the situation, the major cause for the overall regression is the culture of impunity that has arisen out of the tolerance for non-compliance as well as a breakdown in controls and poor leadership. In his SONA speech, President Ramaphosa drew attention to the Metros and District Municipalities as areas where significant turnaround in the lived realities of South Africans will be driven. However, the picture – of weak controls, impunity, poor or absent leadership and of wholesale looting – in those metros and district municipalities is not a good one. 

Johannesburg: 

The recently elected Mayor of Johannesburg, Geoff Makhubo, is also facing allegations of corruption for his involvement in a R30m deal between the City of Joburg and Regiment Capital, a Gupta-linked company. Procurement lapses in the City of Joburg have dogged the metro for many years. We have questioned the validity – and even the existence – of the tender that saw Vumatel/Vumacam roll out CCTVs across the metro. In the quest for development that benefits the majority of the population, weak procurement controls are a favourite target of those bent on benefiting themselves. The citizens of Johannesburg deserve better Executive leadership than one over whom such a dark cloud hangs.  We note with concern that the political parties embroiled in the replacement of Mayor ignored the residents of Johannesburg in the choice of appropriate candidates. Once elected political parties are able to promote malfeasance and corrupt behaviour without any reference to the electorate. This serves to perpetuate a culture of impunity and corruption. 

Tshwane: 

Allegations of jobs-for-unqualified-pals, bribes for water in drought-stricken Hammanskraal and more recently sexual impropriety in the highest office in the city have dogged the DA-led administration since 2016. While the opposition parties have used this as a justification to remove the former Mayor and Speaker, there is no indication that the other parties vying for the mayoral chain have a greater commitment to stamping out corruption and leading in service of the people of Tshwane. 

Ekurhuleni: 

In Ekurhuleni, tender irregularities relating to R1,9bn chemical toilets contract have fouled up the third Metro in Gauteng. Allegations of extortion by officials and even police officers this year reveal just how deep the rot is. We note the recent conviction of a businessman and two former officials on corruption charges – for something that occurred in 2007! 12 years to secure a conviction is way too long. It means that for a further decade the people of Ekurhuleni were at the mercy of corrupt public officials and private individuals who diverted funds earmarked for development into their own pockets. 

Ethekwini: 

We note the efforts of the new Executive Mayor of eThekwini to process the more than 300 cases of corruption-related charges against officials in this metro. This is the size of the backlog of cases against officials and speaks to the culture of impunity and lack of consequence management that has existed for many years. The former Executive Mayor, Zandile Gumede, is facing serious charges of racketeering corruption and money laundering relating to a R208m solid waste tender.  Her removal over the “performance” of the Durban municipality continues to shield the ethical lapses that the allegations and charges have brought to light. 

Umsunduzi: 

The District Municipality housing the provincial capital of KwaZulu-Natal has been placed under administration earlier this year. This comes after consistent irregular spending, maladministration and worst of all conscious absenteeism from meetings by councillors resulting in key decisions being unable to be taken. This municipality is an example of the consequence of a lack of consequence management – of officials and elected members. All while the residents who voted them into power suffer as infrastructure is not maintained, critical services break down and their quality of life worsens. And those guilty of causing the mess, go scot-free. 

Traditional Authorities: 

Municipalities of whatever size are not the only guilty parties in the mismanagement of the sacred trust that is placed in the hands of government by citizens. Traditional authorities also have abused their position over the people living on traditional land. The debacle involving the Venda Royal Family who is the majority shareholder in the mutual bank, VBS, and their complicity in the irregular investment of funds of several municipalities is a recent example. As is the conversion of customary land rights in perpetuity into lesser 40-year lease rights by the Ingonyama Trust. And the charging of rental income amounting to R129m per annum for the 2.8m hectares handed over in trust to King Goodwill Zwelithini. The fact that this money has never been audited and that neither the Trust nor the King has been held to account is a blight on the face of democratic South Africa. We have abandoned millions of amaZulu in deepest rural KwaZulu-Natal to the predatory practices of an unelected leader.  

Minister Dlamini-Zuma, while we note that you have only been in this role since June 2019, we are certain that you appreciate the urgency of addressing the situation by strengthening the regulatory framework and considering what this might mean in the pre-election period before the Local Government Elections in 2021. 

We, therefore, invite Minister Dlamini-Zuma to engage us and other civil society structures on the following demands: 

1. We seek to hold our elected leaders to a higher standard than merely criminal wrongdoing. Leadership at Local Government is an ethical responsibility. So the principle that someone is “innocent until proven guilty” is not enough. Where there is strong evidence of corrupt or unethical behaviour, elected leaders must be removed from holding leadership positions until the matter is cleared up. High ethical standards should form part of the minimum criteria for holding office, and allegations of impropriety should be grounds for disqualification for consideration; 
2. We call on the Minister to convene a chapter of the recently launched National Anti-Corruption Forum to look to the formulation of a framework for political parties to deal with members who are alleged to have breached the ethical standards for councillors – and to deal with parties who fail to uphold those same ethical standards; 
3. We call on the Minister, the Department she oversees and the relevant security cluster authorities to develop a regulatory framework for the speedy prosecution and civil liability of elected members and officials who make themselves guilty of corrupt and unethical behaviour; 
4. We call on the Minister to open up the dialogue with civil society structures on how to strengthen the right of ward members to recall their directly elected representative, and for residents of a local/district or metropolitan authority to recall the executive members of the Council.   

Local government is a vital part of the South African state. As the part of government that is closest to the people, local government is tasked with fixing some of the most basic challenges we face as a country, including inequality and the legacy of apartheid. The constitution and other laws say clearly that local government must be open, responsive, and accountable but this is sadly often not the case. 

Today we will be picketing at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 10AM. 

Picket details: 

Venue: COGTA, 87 Hamilton Street, Arcadia

Pretoria

Time:  10AM -12PM

As citizens, it is our role and responsibility to enforce zero-tolerance practices towards corruption. You can also play your part by reporting any corrupt activities to Corruption Watch’s Anti-Corruption hotline on 0800 023 456. 

#UnitedAgainstCorruption!

#OngaziMakazi! 

#CorruptionFreeSA! 

#InternationalAntiCorruptionDay

 For further information contact: 

Ghalib Galant (R2K Deputy National Coordinator): 084 959 1912

Ntombiyebhongo Tshabalala (R2K Gauteng Organiser): 082 710 3138

Sithembiso Khuluse (R2K KZN Organiser): 081 575 3832