Ramaphosa bemoans delay in lifestyle audits but adds that it’s an ‘intrusive process’

Asked about the delay in lifestyle audits for members of Cabinet, President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said the process needs to be handled with a high degree of confidentiality as it is “very intrusive”.

The president was responding to parliamentary questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen had asked Ramaphosa whether compulsory lifestyle audits had been conducted on members of the executive, particularly on Deputy President Paul Mashatile, whose lifestyle has made headlines in the past few months.

‘Measure of confidentiality’

In his response, Ramaphosa said lifestyle audits of public servants had been compulsory since 2021 and since March this year, more than 11 000 public servants have undergone the audits.

The president told MPs that all ministers, deputies and himself consented to the lifestyle audits in writing, but the implementation was delayed due to a change in service providers.

He, however, stressed that the matter was “on his radar” and the process would be concluded “in a short space of time”.

“The delays have been occasioned by, initially, a process that would have led to a very superficial result which I sent back and said I want a more detailed process that would detail to us what our lifestyle is.”

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According to the president, this was followed by a much more extensive outline, which was complicated and would have resulted in further delays.

“We have now required that a service provider who would be able to do the lifestyle audit much more efficiently, quickly and the type of information that would come out, would be sufficiently comprehensive as to be able to indicate precisely what each member of the executive has in the form of assets and debts,” Ramaphosa continued.

Ramaphosa said the process should be done “shortly” and Presidency director-general Phindile Baleni was expected to report on the lifestyle audits.

“I do regret the delay; it should not have taken as long as it is but the intent is there. This process does not focus on any member of the executive only. It focuses on all of us. I see this process being completed shortly.”

Watch the Q&A session below:

Ramaphosa pointed out that he was aware that lifestyle audits were “very intrusive” and the matter would be dealt with “the measure of confidentiality” it requires.

The president said that there was a presumption of innocence until proven guilty in every lifestyle audit.

“In the end, [lifestyle audits] are a good governance measure that is aimed at ensuring that all of us who serve our people as members of the executive do so with diligence, with integrity and with adherence to the morals that our people would expect of us.”

Vetting

Ramaphosa also indicated that the vetting of senior government officials remained a challenge and the delay was “detrimental” to public service.

“That matter is being looked into, how the process can be capacitated better and how it can be sped up.”

The president added that the State Security Agency (SSA) was working on the vetting process.

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