Lifestyle audits coming for Limpopo leadership

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo claimed a victory this week after the announcement that lifestyle audits will be conducted on the province’s executive in an endeavour to combat the escalating rate of corruption.

This decision took place on Tuesday at the Limpopo Legislature, following weeks of pleas by the DA to the Limpopo provincial government and the legislature.

Early last month in August 6, the DA challenged Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha in public to appoint an independent assessor to conduct lifestyle audits on the executive. The challenge was reiterated in writing to his office on 17 August this year in an effort to rubber-stamp the plea.

On Tuesday morning, MEC for Treasury and of government business Seaparo confirmed that the province was ready for the audit, with the caveat that it would be conducted internally.

The audits will test whether the lifestyle of an employee is in line with that person’s known income.

The DA said the audits would be used to hold accountable those who unduly benefit from the state’s resources and procurement opportunities.

“An executive authority should want to conduct annual audits in order to be transparent and showcase that they are free from corruption,” said DA spokesperson on matters relating to the Office of the Premier, Risham Maharaj, in a statement.

“It is however of great concern and lack of transparency that Sekoati only agreed to an internal audit, which casts a shadow over the legitimacy and transparency of such audit,” he said.

Maharaj said his party has written to MEC Seokati to request that the terms of reference should include, but not be limited to, credit searches on the applicant and their immediate family members, criminal record searches, verifying fixed and movable assets, and conducting an asset search in the case of undeclared assets and assessing donations, gifts and potential links to executive responsibilities. He said they have given Sekoati only five working days to respond to the letter.

“We will not rest until lifestyle audits within the public service becomes standard practice through the establishment of a unit tasked with strengthening oversight of ethics, integrity and discipline.

Asked why the DA wanted the premier and his executive to undergo lifestyle audit, Maharaj said the province was prone to serious allegations of corruption in recent months while under the watchful eye of Premier Mathabatha.

While presenting the 2018/2019 annual audit report, Auditor-General (AG) Kimi Makwetu said irregular expenditure for Limpopo increased by R2 billion, with a closing balance of R6.72 billion, fruitless expenditure, while wasteful expenditure increased by R30 million with a closing balance of R172 million.

Responding to the audit, acting Limpopo provincial government spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha, said the province welcomes the audit and said it would prove that there was actually nothing to hide. Mathivha said the premier had acted on several occasions against those involved in corruption, giving an example of the seven municipal mayors, who were fired for the contentious VBS municipal investments.

“If any executive, their relatives or political coterie are found to have unduly benefitted or living large beyond their means, the law must just take its course,” said Mathivha.

– news@citizen.co.za

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