13 July 2007
Defeating corruption at local government level will restore the confidence
of communities in the local government system, says North West MEC for
Developmental Local Government, Howard Yawa. MEC Yawa called for united action
against corruption at the Local Government Budget Policy Statement Review
Conference held on Thursday, 12 July 2007, at the Taung Tusk Hotel.
Delivering his maiden speech to the North West Chapter of South African
Local Government Association (SALGA), attended by executive mayors, mayors,
councillors and senior municipal officials, MEC Yawa spelled his intention to
rid local government of perceptions of corruption.
He said that corruption and unethical conduct pose a major challenge within
the public, private, and civil sectors and that wherever it occurs, it poses a
threat to democracy and that if it has to be defeated, it should be defeated at
local government level.
Yawa further said that the Local Government Anti-Corruption strategy
launched by his department in April identified nepotism, inadequate financial
controls, procurement of buildings, allocation of Reconstruction and
Development Programme (RDP) houses, lack of transparent procurement processes
and abuse of municipal assets such as municipal vehicles, computers etc as
risks.
Key principles of the strategy include enhancing a culture within
municipalities which is intolerant to unethical conduct, fraud and corruption,
strengthening community participation in the fight against corruption,
improving accountability, efficiency and effective administration within
municipalities, and developing anti-corruption capacity within
municipalities.
Yawa called on municipalities to mobilise churches, faith-based
organisations (FBOs), traditional leaders, non-government organisations (NGOs),
trade unions community-based organisations (CBOs) and communities to ensure
effective implementation of the strategy.
"If corruption has to be defeated in the public sector, it has to be
defeated at local government level. I am confident that through united action,
impartial and vigilant political oversight and enhanced public accountability,
the scourge of corruption can and would be defeated because history has shown
us that a united people cannot be defeated," said Yawa.
Issued by: Department of Developmental Local Government, North West
Provincial Government
13 July 2007
