Madam Deputy Speaker, the ACDP wishes to thank the hon Anchen Dreyer for raising this very important issue. We believe that public servants who have businesses should not transact at all with the state as there is clearly a potential for a conflict of interest. In our view it is not sufficient for such public servants to obtain approval or disclose their interests. The potential still remains for tender rigging, fraud and corruption. And that potential is too high.
Why do we say that? The Public Service Commission's director-general advised Scopa during the hearing that in fact there is a regression in disclosure and monitoring of conflicts of interest. According to her, in some cases noncompliance has become habitual, with about 10% of senior managers actively refusing to disclose their financial interests.
Over the past years several investigations by the Public Service Commission and the Auditor-General have identified the same problems with no noticeable improvement in the way the state conducts its business. On the contrary, large numbers of serious breaches continue to be identified, such as those being investigated by Scopa at present. Besides this being an issue of probity and conflicts of interest, it also goes to the heart of service delivery, with those having business interests undoubtedly spending time on their businesses at the cost of service delivery.
In view of this the question arises whether public servants should be allowed to run private companies at all.
During Scopa's hearings the view was strongly expressed that serious consideration should be given to completely outlawing outside remunerative activities by public servants, and particularly senior managers.
The ACDP agrees with this. Such a step would simplify public administration and reduce the ethical complexities and suspicion that continue to cloud our public sector.
In view of the huge challenges facing us in regard to service delivery, isn't it time for such a step? Public servants, particularly senior managers, should accept their often lucrative salaries and get on with doing the job taxpayers have paid them to do instead of moonlighting; perhaps then service delivery will improve. I thank you.