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‘Sit at Homes’ cost over a Million

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Dear MyPE

Ten Eastern Cape Social Development officials have been sitting at home since July last year earning their full monthly salaries, costing the province close to R1,2-million so far while NPOs are starved of funds and services.

This was revealed in a reply to oral questions I asked Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi during a legislature sitting this week.

In some cases, the finalisation of internal disciplinary processes has been dragging on for more than eighteen months now.

A multitude of charges relating to misconduct of officials ranging from fraud, forgery, gross dishonesty, assault, unauthorized absences from work, disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour and damage to state property is being investigated.

I have written to MEC Sihlwayi requesting that she ensures that the disciplinary process is sped up as a matter of urgency. Given the severity of charges against the officials, I believe that she has to now intervene. Justice delayed is justice denied.

This department is broken, with performance reports indicating a regression over for the last three financial years.

The MEC must realise no matter what else separates us as South Africans, we all agree that corruption must have no place in a free and democratic South Africa. It is the greatest enemy in our fight against poverty, unemployment and inequality.

The MEC must up her game and put in place new systems that combat corruption and correct the weak internal control systems in her department.

Under a DA-provincial government, there will be no place for corrupt politicians, lazy, unprofessional public servants and business people to hide. We want total change in order to build a free, fair and opportunity-driven society, beginning with defeating corruption.

Regards

Kobus Botha, MPL

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Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.