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Cape Town - Government has set out plans to stem corruption by unveiling proposed new policies requiring civil servants to cut outside business interests or risk being banned.
There were also additional proposals that may ask officials wanting to head for the private sector to serve a cooling-off period.
This was according to Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka. He told Fin24.com cabinet was concerned at the number of its employees who were using state systems to develop their personal business interests.
Shiceka, who also chairs the cabinet cluster on governance and administration, will present policies on both these issues to cabinet in the new year.
"You cannot have outside business interests and work for the state. It is a choice," said Shiceka. "You either work for the state or do business. You can't have both."
Shiceka was speaking on the sidelines of a briefing to parliament's public service and administration committee.
While he insisted that moonlighting had to be outlawed, he cautioned, however, that a cooling-off period was motivated by the fact that government couldn't "infringe" on people's right to engage in economic activity.
The public service commission estimates that between 45% and 72% of senior managers in the civil service were involved in directorships and partnerships that "could result in conflicts of interest".
The problem of conflict was caused by government's inability to keep track of business interests, shareholding and directorships of its civil servants and their families rather than regulation or inadequately secured information systems.
Richard Levin, director general of the department of public service and administration, warned parliament's committee the rate of disclosure - which was obligatory - was actually worsening.
"If only 69% of directors general are now submitting disclosures, this must raise concerns about the example being set as well as the level of compliance for lower-ranking officials," he said.
"This places the civil service at serious risk," said Levin. He also flagged the fact that supply chain management procedures were not being followed to the letter.
- Fin24.com