Deputy Speaker, the ACDP has carefully considered this report on Public Service and would like to raise a few issues.
While there are many thousands of civil servants who conscientiously perform their tasks to the best of their ability, often under very difficult circumstances, there are also many who do not perform optimally, and indeed are involved in fraud and corruption.
Poor service delivery has resulted in an increase in the number of protests, with many turning violent. Widespread fraud and corruption has deprived ordinary citizens of the services that they desperately need. For example, we saw the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, scandal that almost deprived millions of South Africans of their much- needed social welfare grants and pensions.
The question is, where are the Batho Pele principles, and is the Public Service Charter being lived up to? Programme four relates to integrity and anticorruption steps. Clearly this is very crucial. One of the ways to combat fraud and corruption is to strictly enforce the implementation of the financial disclosure framework in the Public Service. This is required by law but doesn't seem to be implemented sufficiently. Senior managers are required to disclose all their registrable interests annually. Remunerative work outside the Public Service is also forbidden without due approval being obtained. This must be closely monitored. No public servant or members of their close family should be allowed to do business with the state. Regular lifestyle audits should also be introduced.
The ACDP believes that these steps will go a long way to combat the widespread fraud and corruption in the Public Service. That having been said, the ACDP would like to thank all those loyal and hardworking public servants that do comply with the legislation and are not involved in fraud and corruption. I thank you.