North West Premier, Mme Thandi Modise has vowed that her provincial government will not hesitate to implement all strategies to fight the fighting corruption in order to have clean governance in the province.
Speaking at the commemoration of the International Anti- Corruption day held at Mpheqeke stadium, Kanana Township near Orkney on Friday, Premier Modise warned that those who are involved in corrupt activities that they will not have any place to hide in the province.
“As the provincial government, we are tired of speaking about corruption every day to people who are not prepared to listen and have resolved to act to uproot corruption.
We are in the mood to fight corruption at all its level without any fear or favour and will not be bought, dissuaded or succumb to pressure not to pursue those who are plundering resources that are meant to improve the lives of our people with impunity. Those who are involved in corrupt activities or benefiting from the scourge must begin to think twice because they are next, we are not playing, we are going after them,” she cautioned.
Premier Modise highlighted that there are senior people in government who have already felt the heat and some are still in hot water due to corruption in their departments and municipalities.
“I want to warn those who think we are playing that there are senior managers in government who have being fired due to corruption and others are being suspended as we speak.
We will continue to suspend and fire those who are being caught in corrupt activities irrespective of the positions at all levels of government, she said.
Premier Modise said service delivery in the province is compromised due to people who are corrupt in the province.
She urged community members to report any form of corruption starting from any senior political to a low position in government.
“It is because of corruption that ordinary people are unable to get services that are due to them. Communities are not able to get proper roads, water, electricity, houses and sanitation because of people who are corrupt.
I want to urge all community members to report corruption so that they can get services that they deserve,” she emphasised.
She further urged businesses, churches, traditional leaders and all civil society to join her government in the fight against corruption.
“Government alone will not win the fight against corruption. It is the combined effort of everyone in the province that can yield good results.
We will really appreciate it if all of us can join hand in the fight against this enemy that robs our beautiful province,” she urged.
In support of the Premier Modise call, Chairperson of the North West Provincial Anti- Corruption Forum, Bishop Matebesi admitted that corruption delays service delivery and must be fought at all its level.
“We support the call by the Premier that the times of talks are over; people who are involved in corrupt activities should have no places in the public service.
As the forum, we support the call by the Premier to fire anyone who has being found guilty in government because people of this province are tired of people who looting state resources without any action being taken,” he said.
Gosiame Seatlholo from the North West House of Traditional Leaders also cited that time to talk about corruption is over but doing something about it has begun.
“We agree that our government has being warning people about corruption so many times, it is time to deal strictly with those who are not prepared to listen. Our communities will be very happy to see people being punished because of their corrupt tendencies,” she said.
Daniel Nkacoang, a pensioner from Kanana Extension 4 pledged support for the provincial government’s touch stance against corruption and said that Modise was a champion of the poor.
International Anti-Corruption Day is a United Nations Office on Drugs- endorsed initiative held annually on December 9.
According to the agency, attitude on corruption are changing, and there are signs of growing intolerances towards corruption.
More and More politicians and chief executives are being tried and convicted around the world.
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Lesiba Moses Kgwele
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