Corrupt officials will be dealt with says Zuma

By Khanyisa Tabata
27 August 2009

President Jacob Zuma has once again stressed that government will not tolerate any conduct by public officials that is in breach of the law or public service regulations.

President Zuma said this during his response to questions raised by political parties in the National Assembly.

Congress of the People (COPE) MP Mvume Dandala had asked whether the government intends introducing policy with regard to public servants who have business dealings with the state.

The Auditor General recently released a shocking report where it was revealed that several public servants were doing business with government without following proper procedure.

Zuma said he had instructed the ministers in whose departments such officials were employed to investigate the alleged misconduct.

He had also asked Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi to speed up the development of the Conflict of Interest Framework and to send it to Cabinet in the next few weeks.

The Conflict of Interest Framework is meant to plug existing holes in public service regulations.

President Zuma also did not rule out the possibility of amending the legislation to protect whistleblowers.

He said most of the wrongdoing occurs when public officials do not comply with existing regulations.

On the question of whether South Africa had responded speedily enough to the current global economic crisis, President Zuma said South Africa has been hailed among the developing countries for providing leadership during the crisis.