Solly Masilela, independent political analyst writes:
The reported allegations of the training and appointment of people allegedly close to certain individuals occupying high political office in the Emalahleni Local Municipality point at a deeper and entrenched collapse of administrative and accounting procedural systems and processes.
It is unfortunate that such allegations occur in public offices where the highest systems compliance, public accountability and high moral standing is expected by the community.
The report that such allegations are revolving around key leaders such as members of the mayoral committee and one from the office of the mayor is indicative that the whole system of accounting legal compliance and adherence to policy procedures and principles, has been corrupted to the raft.
The fact that the allegations are levelled against such a sizeable number of office bearers occupying critical positions within the municipality, point to a situation where a clique has formed its own collaborative chain of command aimed at collapsing the administrative and accounting systems within the institution.
It also demonstrates and exposes a strategy of an underhand “dark shadow collusion meetings” wherein people are meeting in stark dark shadows and plan against the official and legal procedures in efforts to serve their own selfish interests.
It must be worrisome to all of us as tax payers that they are at the centre of managing not only the resources of the municipality, but also expected but fail to live up to the dictates of the supreme law: the constitution.
Whilst not disputing the fact that possibly the municipality honestly, fairly and with good intentions, initiated the recruitment process, it is however very strange and administratively counterproductive when it comes out that most of the recruits are in one way or the other, romantically and biologically related to some office bearers who are not only yielding public authority but also entrusted by communities to procedurally and legally run the public affairs of the municipality.
Should this be proven to be true, it will again confirm the long argument in political and social discourses that official lines of governance and accountability in public institutions are blurred to serve interest of those politically connected.
The question that comes to people’s mind is was it coincidental or was it through the total erosion and corrupting of the internal legal and accounting processes?
What role did the municipal manager as the overall accounting authority did or did not do in this embarrassing debacle?
What role did the human resources or the safety units separately or jointly being the officially the custodians of the program, did or did not do in this embarrassing debacle?
In South Africa and by confirmation of the ANC in line with revelations at the Commission on State Capture, corruption and maladministration is identified as the main course that brought South Africa where it is today.
That some leaders are still alleged and linked to any shred of corruption demonstrate not only an element of irresponsibility, but also the gravity of the situation.
Mainly due to the fact that these allegations indicate that these acts of corruption and maladministration demonstrate of having been committed with brazen and arrogant attitude and without fear of repercussions thereof.
Those involved should have at least considered the fact that they are implanting a corrupt seed on these innocent recruits and, depending on their highest moral standing, they might as well come back and involve themselves in more intense corrupt activities in their line of duty given Minister Mbalula’s recent public report about how deep corruption is within and amongst traffic officers.
What is extremely worrisome is when those alleged to be involved in this immoral act are senior people in the municipality and deployed by the ruling ANC.
Bearing in mind that honesty, integrity and selflessness are its intrinsic founding and guiding principles.
Secondly, one of the important policy positions of the ANC is that of being the embodiment of the developmental future of the majority people, hence it refers to itself as the “broad church” and espousing high morals and values espoused within the behavioural attributes culminating into exemplary behavioural patterns and be transcended to poor masses of the country as a whole.
Allegations as reported are not only negating these ANC’s founding, historical and progressive values and aspirations, but also demonstrate a high level profiled “bad role models”.
Such traction will be dangerous as it will erode the heartbeat of human nature: honesty, integrity, morality, particularly amongst the youth.
Whilst the municipality through the mayor, has undertaken to investigate the matter and irrespective of the nature of the findings thereof, the imminent erosion of compliance with administrative and accounting processes and guidelines thereof must be addressed boldly and sufficiently for the municipality to regain its trust.
In fact, if not done, the mayor and the ANC should have precautionary suspended all those alleged to have been involved pending the investigation.
This should have demonstrated the commitment, the will and the boldness in fighting any semblance of corruption.
The reported allegations of corrupting the process of employing people in any position in the municipality and if not nipped in the bud, will result in disastrous consequences given the rate of unemployment and poverty amongst people.
