Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma must act against ministers and directors
general who have mismanaged their departments' funds, the
Democratic Alliance said on Friday.
Party MP Mark Steele said a report released by the Auditor
General this week had revealed that too many government ministers
and directors general were "simply unable to properly manage public
money".
"In many cases this overview paints a picture of financial
disarray and mismanagement that should be ringing alarm bells,"
said Steele.
"Action now needs to be taken against those individuals who
haven't properly managed public money.
"First and foremost, the director general must be held
accountable, secondly, the minister of the department must be held
accountable, and thirdly the chief financial officer."
The AG found that there were just 14 "clean reports" out of the
271 annual audits on 34 government departments and public entities
from 2001 to 2009.
Eighty-one reports were "qualified", received an "adverse
opinion" or a "disclaimer".
Entities that receive qualified reports, adverse opinions or a
disclaimer from the AG are deemed to be in a state of financial
disarray and mismanagement.
Steele said many ministers previously in charge of dysfunctional
departments, were still in the Cabinet.
"The Democratic Alliance proposes that any government department
that receives three disclaimed, qualified or adverse audit opinions
in a row should have their minister and their director general, who
is in charge of the department, removed from their positions and
any further role in government.
"If a minister is put in charge of a specific department they
should commit themselves fully, and not look to change departments
when their inefficiency and failure to deliver become apparent.
"The president appoints ministers and directors general. He must
now take action on their failings."
Among the worst performing government departments are
correctional services, which had eight qualified opinions, defence
and health which had seven, labour with six and home affairs with
five.
The presidency had earned its second consecutive qualified
opinion, according to Steele.
Steele said the consequences of financial mismanagement were far
reaching for South Africans and had a "significant" impact on
service delivery.
"If government cannot properly spend public money, not only does
service delivery become undermined, stalled or simply non-existent,
but public confidence in government is undermined and the
institution itself loses much needed credibility."
The only department to receive a clean audit this year was the
department of science and technology.
Other departments such as education, environmental affairs and
tourism and international relations were criticised for only minor
problems, and had to be commended for their efforts, Steele said.
- Sapa