Former ANC MP Makhosi Khoza says ‘I’m Outa here’

Former ANC member Makhosi Khosa has confirmed her resignation as executive director of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), a position she took up after her resignation first from the ANC and then from her own political party.

“It is a heavy heart that we accept Dr Makhosi Khoza’s resignation, following her decision to put her full-time attention into her passion to advance her work and research into African languages as well as to pursue other avenues to bring about much-needed change in South Africa,” said Outa in a statement.

“This was a very amicable parting and Makhosi has indicated that she will still act as an ambassador for Outa’s work,” said Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage.

Shortly after a dramatic exit from parliament and the ANC in 2017, Khoza announced she would be the head of a new political party. But her stint at African Democratic Change (ADeC) went pear-shaped when it was almost immediately split by factions, with members demanding her resignation.

However, she tweeted earlier this week that the party was “alive and well” and that she endorsed her daughter as a candidate for it.

Following her leaving ADeC, Khoza claimed at the time that voters had lost faith in politics, leading to her attempting to mobilise civil society to fight corruption through her involvement in antigraft lobby group Outa.

Speaking at the announcement of the group’s executive restructuring, which sees Khoza taking up the position as Outa executive director, she announced that Outa has resolved to take its fight against corruption to local government.

While Outa’s main battles have involved extensive court battles over e-tolls in Gauteng, and other major tax abuse concerns, it embarked on a complete restructuring last year, including adding new nonexecutive directors, that will see it going after municipalities across the country.

Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage said the organisation has already begun work at the Govan Mbeki Municipality in Mpumalanga, and hopes to have spread to 60 municipalities over the next 18 months.

READ MORE: Makhosi Khoza to lead Outa war on graft in municipalities

“The modus operandi is very similar in each one of them, requiring transparency, ensuring that the integrated development plans are followed through and budgets are being met, tenders are being processed properly, and to have the councillors – and city managers – do their jobs.

“We know that’s not the case throughout the country, so we have a lot of work cut out for us.”

The group will be recruiting more than 100 staff members over the next few months.

“The lack of accountability in local municipalities throughout the country has led to a substantive decline in service delivery over the years, along with the collapse in the fiduciary duties and the functions of many municipal departments,” Duvenage said.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni)

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