Minister Gordhan, and the Minister of Finance - in fact, the whole Cabinet - should be commended for measures taken to curtail wasteful expenditure in the public sector. This is happening while so many South Africans are poor and in need of social services for survival in these difficult times.
The message is clear: Party time is over; no more credit cards and lavish entertainment; no more excesses in the refurbishment of the homes of Ministers. While we welcome this announcement, we are keenly awaiting its implementation. Bad habits do not die easily.
The next critical aspect to which Cabinet needs to give serious attention is the implementation of stricter controls to stem the tide of corruption, especially with regard to tenders, dealing with corruption in the private sector and with the construction sector stealing from the public purse during the building of the 2010 stadia. We are still awaiting action.
In many seminars on the state of governance, the outgoing Auditor-General has expressed serious concern about the rising tide of corrupt practice in national, provincial and local government administrations, with little or no consequences. Those officials are still walking free, enjoying lavish lives courtesy of expenditure stolen from the public purse.