Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka on Wednesday warned non-performing public servants they faced the sack.

"The issue is an issue of non-performance," he told a joint meeting of several parliamentary committees during a briefing on the operation clean audit 2014 initiative.

"I still can't understand, why do you get a disclaimer, and adverse opinion [from the auditor general] for two years and you're left [alone]. Sometimes you're given a bonus.

"A person is supposed to face the consequences, disciplinary action, out of the system. So it must happen.

"That's why we're saying this thing must be part of the performance management system, so that we're able to use it as an instrument to deal with you.

"Labour law... including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and all other Acts, must not prevent us to act.

"We must act without fear, without favour, without prejudice in the interests of our people," Shiceka said.

Regarding so-called cadre deployment by political parties, he said this happened in all parties.

The ruling party in a town or province wanted their policies implemented and needed to trust officials to do so. Therefore they appointed their own supporters.

"People if they are incompetent, let's say so, from whatever party, because we must ensure that the interests of our people are taken care of and they are looked after," Shiceka said.

The clean audit 2014 programme - launched on July 16 - is meant to ensure clean audits, transparency and improved service delivery in government by 2014.

At the launch, Shiceka said this was not just a financial management project, but to ensure clean audits and improved service delivery. "We want to ensure that we put a collective effort in creating a clean and accountable government that will produce good things for a better South Africa."

The initiative was to ensure that leaders in government such as chief executive officers, chief financial officers and municipal managers signed performance contracts and were told that "the centre of your work is to ensure auditing".

He said by 2011 no structure of government should have adverse audit opinions or disclaimers. Annual events would take place to reflect on progress made in the project and to collectively examine challenges which arose, Shiceka said.