The DA has formally requested President Cyril Ramaphosa to issue a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to partner with the State Security Agency (SSA) for mandatory public sector lifestyle audits.

The opposition party insists these financial reviews must target the entire public service. They place special emphasis on law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

DA spokesperson on Police Lisa Schickerling emphasised public frustration with politically connected officials accumulating unexplained wealth. She stated that taxpayers are tired of watching State funds vanish into corruption, organised crime, and State capture.

Schickerling argued that bringing in the SIU would transform lifestyle audits from a routine administrative task into a powerful anti-corruption weapon.

An official presidential proclamation would allow the SIU to deploy forensic expertise to verify audit findings, investigate unexplained wealth among high-ranking officials and recover stolen State assets directly.

It would also refer criminal matters to the National Prosecuting Authority.

The DA notes that current SSA-led audits lack decisive accountability. Many officials continue to live lavish lifestyles that do not match their declared legal income yet face zero consequences.

Evidence from various commissions of inquiry and ongoing corruption trials reveals a disturbing pattern. Organised criminal syndicates have deeply penetrated State organs. They operate with the assistance and protection of public officials who possess wealth far beyond what government salaries justify.

The financial mismatch is particularly glaring within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

South Africa’s most senior police officers earn up to R2.5-million annually. Despite these high salaries, allegations of corruption at the top tier of the SAPS remain incredibly common, highlighting an urgent need for independent financial scrutiny.

She emphasised that South Africans deserve a police service that fights crime not one that is top-heavy, riddled with allegations of corruption, and increasingly detached from the realities faced by the men and women on the ground.