The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) commends the national government for following our lead in stamping out corruption. We are pleased with the confirmation today in Parliament that government will be implementing legislation, originally proposed by the DA, to limit the scope of corruption in the public service. The Committee on Private Members Legislation today turned down the DA’s proposed Private Member's Bill on the basis that government will be introducing legislation to this effect before the end of this financial year. This follows after the DA-run Western Cape Provincial Government introduced similar legislation in early 2010 to root out corruption in the Western Cape public service.

Today’s confirmation is a victory for accountability and good governance. It has long been recognised that the absence of restrictions on state employees doing business with the state is a key driver of corruption. State employees with an interest in companies that tender for goods and services have a clear conflict of interest, yet this has never been regulated.

In August 2008, the Auditor-General (AG) issued a performance audit of entities that are connected with government employees and do business with the state. At national level, between August 2007 and July 2008, 49 state employees were identified as directors of companies that do business with national departments to the tune of R35.7 million. The AG found that between April 2005 and January 2007, more than R540 million worth of business was conducted between provincial governments and businesses owned or part-owned by provincial employees.

When the DA introduced the Business Interests of Employees Bill in the Western Cape, we called on national government to follow suit and help to tackle the cancerous spread of corruption in the public service. When the Department of Public Service and Administration seemed not to be concerned with the issue, we proposed the legislation as a Private Member's Bill. The Eastern Cape provincial government was the first to take the initiative and propose similar legislation. Now the national government has gotten behind the effort to build a truly clean and acountable public service throughout the country.

We believe this legislation is long overdue, and I will today write to Minister of Public Service and Administration, Richard Baloyi, to request a specific commitment from him as to when draft legislation will be presented to Parliament. We cannot afford any further delay.