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CEO UPDATE
Dear supporter
As the saying goes, a week is a long time in politics. A month, on the other hand, feels like a lifetime, as the nation begins to tackle a myriad of changing scenarios since the elections at the end of May. The MK Party’s blindside is already playing out in Parliament, challenging the ethical boundaries of every situation it can – the most prominent being the appointment of John Hlophe to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Imagine a former judge being appointed to the very same committee that found him guilty of gross misconduct!
The combination of Hlophe’s appointment and that of criminally charged former minister Zizi Kodwa and the disgraced former Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, gives a disturbing idea of how blurred the ethical lines of politics are today. The political playing field has shifted with the ANC no longer in full control of the rudder. Even now, as we move into the second month of South Africa’s 7th democratic administration, power-sharing and coalition discussions continue to play out at the provincial and local government level, although the power-sharing situation in Gauteng has been very disappointing. In our view, the ANC’s Premier Panyaza Lesufi is clinging to power in departments that are riddled with maladministration and past corrupt conduct.
The inclusion of other parties in the cabinet has unfortunately been offset by an increased size of what was already a bloated cabinet. We believe the split of some portfolios, such as the Departments of Minerals and Energy under Gwede Mantashe and Higher Education under Blade Nzimande, was done to accommodate these two “old friends” who both performed poorly during the 6th administration. You can read more about OUTA’s stance on this here.
On the positive side, greater transparency is already taking shape as we see the new Minister Dean McPherson and his deputy (and former minister) of Public Works, Sihle Zikalala, exposing the theft of at least R300 million from the department over the past decade in an elaborate scheme involving officials within the department. This is the kind of action we need, and we are looking forward to many more exposés of corruption and malfeasance.
The recent explosive revelations made in the affidavit of former VBS Chairperson, Tshifiwa Matodzi, have placed the spotlight on a number of politically connected individuals, the most obvious being the leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters. We shall watch this development with interest. It could have a profound impact on the future of this political party if indeed Julius Malema and his sidekick, Floyd Shivambu, are found guilty of fraudulent conduct.
The province of Gauteng and its various metros have the biggest strategic and economic value for the country, which in turn requires that we demand meaningful political leadership intervention as soon as possible. It is simply mind-blowing that every day the politicians fiddle while the City of Joburg decays and declines into a poor state of repair. It appears the city’s management is hell-bent on increasing the costs to residents without applying enough attention to reducing the costs of city management before asking for more money from its residents.
In this month’s newsletter, we also reflect on our JoburgCAN division’s work in challenging the city’s poorly implemented plan to introduce fixed cost charges to pre-paid electricity users. Our objection lies not so much in the need to introduce such charges, but rather in the approach taken by the CoJ, along with the administrative and communication bungling that has unfolded. Read about it here.
I want to thank you once again for your donation to OUTA. Your support enables us to keep on holding government accountable for what they are doing (or not doing) with public funds. Remember that your donation to our work is tax deductible since OUTA is Section 18A registered.
Our country is worth saving, and we urge all South Africans to get actively involved in doing just that. Please share this newsletter with your friends and family.
Our country is worth saving, and we urge all South Africans to get actively involved in doing just that. Please share this newsletter with your friends and family.
Kind regards,
Wayne