Public service and administration minister Richard Baloyi says government is soon to introduce an anti-corruption and maladministration unit.
This unit forms part of the Public Service and Administration Portfolio's “revival mission”, which is tackling the values, attributes, charter and public service integrity framework of the public sector.
Speaking at the State IT Agency's annual GovTech conference earlier this week, Baloyi revealed the unit would add the “implementation and investigation tracking mechanisms” to the policy and control instruments already residing within government.
“As SA, we have started a journey of self-reflection to reposition our public service to deliver in terms of the developmental agenda that defines our strategic direction. On this course, we dare not fail, and we shall not fail,” he said.
Corruption counters
Taking note of similar initiatives in other countries, Baloyi acknowledged that development plans were often frustrated at implementation.
“One of the major contributions [to these failures] being corruption. We are no exception to this unfortunate state of development. It is for that reason that we are rolling up our sleeves and we will soon launch an anti-corruption and maladministration unit. In this mission, we commit ourselves to deal with issues of corruption in public service like a dog deals with a bone,” says Baloyi.
Accordingly, Baloyi reveals the operational slogan of the anti-corruption unit is derived from a Xitsonga war idiom: “It says 'Hi ta twa hi rhambu ku tshoveka', simply translated to mean that the fight will only stop at the breaking of the bone.”
Baloyi is no stranger to corruption within government. SITA, one of the state-owned entities falling within the department's gambit and a probable technology provider to the new unit, is currently conducting internal investigations that aim to root out the corruption within the organisation.
These investigations have already seen three executive committee members - Ramabele Magoma Nthite, shared services executive; Moses Mthimunye, strategic services chief; and Ranti Mahlabana, general manager for human resource service - suspended pending the outcome of investigations into allegations of tender irregularities and colluding with suppliers.
People matters
Despite the determined talk, the minister cautioned that the success of any government revitalisation programme is dependent on the extent to which its public servants “are ready to internalise their obligations to serve the public”.
“It takes an effort to incentivise public servants to deliver. It also takes strong management to measure and monitor performance as well as provide general leadership. But, of course, the led must be ready to be led,” he said.
Government had been locked in wage negotiations with public sector employees for three weeks until earlier this week when Cosatu agreed to suspend a strike, which had severely hampered the country's health and education sectors amongst others.
As yet, government's offer has not been accepted by all public sector unions and threats of strike resumption continue.
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