The Public Servants Association (PSA) has expressed strong concern over the ongoing mismanagement of public funds, highlighting the inefficiencies in oversight and the lack of consequence management within government departments and public entities.
The Auditor-General (AG) Tsakane Maluleke recently confirmed that government departments and entities overspent by more than R38.8 billion, with a significant portion of R14.3 billion lost through payments for goods and services that were never delivered.
The PSA attributes this to "lazy and errant accounting officers and departmental heads" who neglect their responsibilities.
''The fact that her office can only get accounting officers to recoup R3.39 billion out of R14.3 billion in losses, owing to material irregularity, is highly concerning,'' said the PSA.
The AG's report pointed to systemic failures in both consequence management and the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight committees, with instances such as R700 million paid for training that was never provided, and the Compensation Fund's ongoing irregularities amounting to R11 billion over the past year alone, said the PSA.
The PSA also stressed that procurement and supply chain management processes remain "the leaking tap of government", benefiting politically-connected individuals, while taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of wasteful spending.
Noting that the AG's office has limited powers, the PSA called for an urgent amendment to the Public Audit Act, advocating for greater authority to hold corrupt officials accountable.
The PSA further demanded that delinquent departmental heads and accounting officers be banned from holding public office to curb the "cancer of corruption".
''Delinquent head of departments and accounting officers must be taken to task for their contribution in the massive looting and must be banned from occupying any seat in public organisations or any governments and entities,'' said the PSA.
Moreover, the PSA pointed out that the consequences of such inefficiency and corruption are felt by ordinary government employees and the public, with services suffering, salaries stagnating, and critical infrastructure, such as roads, deteriorating. Despite this, those involved in the looting continue to thrive at the expense of the country's future.
IOL Politics