/ 13 February 2012

Corrupt officials should be put on database, says KZN ANC

A database of government officials implicated in corruption must be created to prevent them from getting other jobs, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said on Monday.

“Employees who resign when investigated for corruption should be banned from taking other posts,” said ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala.

He was briefing reporters on proposals made during the ANC’s lekgotla in Dundee at the weekend.

Zikalala said there was a problem of officials who resigned while still under investigation for graft.

“They resign when they discover that they are being investigated. You then see them emerging somewhere.”

Implicated in corruption
Zikalala said the party wanted the database to contain the names of officials who had been implicated in corruption or maladministration.

“We call on all departments and municipalities to do a security check of such cases before employment is confirmed,” he said.

“The scourge of corruption remains a threat to our revolution. It is in essence sabotaging the progress of the service delivery to our people.”

Zikalala said the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal supported the creation of courts which would deal only with corruption-related cases.

“We once again call on government to fast-track disciplinary cases in departments and in local municipality.”

Reviewing the tender system
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal also wanted the ruling party to reduce the number of its national executive committee members from 88 to 66. The move was aimed at strengthening the ANC’s body, he said.

The lekgotla resolved to encourage the government to review the tender system which “undermined the capacity of the state”.

“The state should build its own capacity, not relying only on the external capacity to deliver its services. We call on the government to take charge of the implementation of this infrastructure programme,” Zikalala said.

He said the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal wanted its proposals to form part of the discussions during the ANC policy conference later this year. — Sapa