Latest news with #CommitteeClusterMediaEngagement
IOL News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Ramaphosa urged to make the allegations against Mchunu his top priority upon return from Brazil
The Peace and Security Cluster Committee Chairpersons briefed the media and the public in Parliament as part of the 7th Parliament's regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urged to make the allegations lobbied against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi his top priority when he returns to the country. The issue of Mkhwanazi's allegations took centre stage at the Peace and Security Cluster Committee Chairpersons' briefing on Monday Mkhwanazi made damning allegations against his colleagues and politicians, including Mchunu, whom he alleged were part of serious crime cartels in Gauteng. In a statement, Mchunu rejected Mkhwanazi's "wild allegations and claims on a variety of issues". Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, said that the allegations have placed the necessary focus on the integrity of not only the South African Police Service (SAPS) but the entire criminal justice system. 'If true, it explains why the system has not been able to effectively arrest the ever-increasing criminality in the country.' Cameron added that the allegations point to a systematic weakening of the police to enable corruption and undermining of the rule of law. He also urged the President to implement an intensive investigation into the corruption allegations at SAPS to protect and promote the credibility of the service. 'The committee welcomes the assurance that the President will give the matter due regard upon his return from Brazil (Ramaphosa is attending the BRICS Summit) but has urged that this matter be priority number one.' Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Jane Mananiso, said: 'With regarding the allegations made yesterday, for us as the select committee, it is a grave concern; however, we hope that the President will swiftly respond to that issue as soon as he comes back. All of us do believe that lawlessness in the sector must be dealt with.' Cameron later said that the revelation has given credence to the call by the committee for an extensive skills and lifestyle audit, starting with all senior management within the SAPS and the Crime Intelligence environment. 'What is clear is that accountability is necessary and urgent….We cannot continue one more day with criminals masquerading as police officers.' He said the committee will have to determine the need for an urgent meeting where all the protagonists are called to account. He has also written to the Speaker of the National Assembly for an urgent debate on the integrity of SAPS, and the implications of the revelations on the credibility and standing of SAPS in the fight against crime. The Peace and Security Cluster Committee Chairpersons briefed the media and the public in Parliament as part of the 7th Parliament's regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme. The media briefing was held under the theme: Deepening the values of peace, justice, safety, and security. Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers The committee is also proposing the following immediate solutions to the integrity challenges within the SAPS: Appointment of a commission, with a clear timeline, to urgently investigate the allegations An external independent body to undertake lifestyle audits for all senior officers from Brigadier level upwards An independent body to undertake a vetting exercise on all senior SAPS officers Reconfiguration of the Crime Intelligence environment to ensure only fit and proper individuals are employed in that environment Skills audit of all senior managers within the SAPS Adequate resourcing of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate [Thread] 🪡 REMARKS BY MR IAN CAMERON, @IanCameron23 THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE INTEGRITY WITHIN THE SAPS The damning allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has placed the necessary focus… — Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) July 7, 2025 Cameron later added that the reason the allegations are concerning is that it could mean that the higher echelons of police are totally captured. 'Should the minister be suspended? Well, let's look at it from a policing point of view. If a police member has in any way allegedly performed some kind of misconduct, there's usually suspension. 'Many people always explain it as though it's punitive to that police member, but that's not the reasoning behind it. The reasoning is to protect the integrity of the institution, one, and two, the investigation. 'Now, if any preliminary investigation indicates any form of political influence, from anywhere in the ministry, suspension should be considered, and that is to protect the integrity of the institution, and the integrity of the investigation.' The Peace and Security Cluster Committee Chairpersons briefed the media and the public in Parliament as part of the 7th Parliament's regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Jane Mananiso, and lastly, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers Executive director of the FW de Klerk Foundation, Christo van der Rheede, said that these allegations are very serious and pose a threat to maintaining law and order in the country. 'One would expect the president to act. Just as swiftly as what he acted with (removing) Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa, Andrew Whitfield, he must act also against Minister Senzo Mchunu. 'All that we ask is consistency, and that no stone should be left unturned. Things are really getting out of hand.' He added that the South African political ecosystem no longer focuses on realising the objectives outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, but has now become a space fraught with identity politics, clientelism and egocentric contestations over the spoils of public office. 'Our constitutional democratic order provides the solution. To ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness, ordinary citizens must use their voting power to vote for credible political parties and leaders that serve the country's interests.'
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
The ghost worker scandal: A systemic corruption issue in public service
Mr Jan de Villiers, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration during a briefing by the Governance Cluster Oversight Committees on Monday. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Jan de Villiers, said the persistent and corrosive problem of ghost workers in the public sector is not merely a payroll anomaly, but a 'deliberate and orchestrated form of systemic corruption'. De Villiers was part of the three chairpersons of the parliamentary Governance Cluster Oversight committees who held a briefing as part of the 7th Parliament's regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme on Monday. He said the true scope of ghost workers is not known, and an investigation into the problem is part of a joint audit now under way between the Department of Public Service and Administration and the National Treasury. 'Let us be clear, the phenomenon of ghost workers is not an issue of administrative error. 'The Department of Public Service and Administration confirmed before Parliament that ghost workers are present across all three spheres of government, affecting national and provincial departments, municipalities, agencies, and state-owned entities alike. 'For example, last year, the Auditor-General (AG) uncovered R6.4 million in salaries being paid to ghost workers at the Mpumalanga Department of Education. In May this year, the Gauteng health department froze the salaries of 230 employees who could not be verified,' De Villiers said. He added that the data-driven approach of the joint audit represents a departure from the fragmented, ad hoc audits of the past. He said they are also calling for this process to begin with a physical, in-person human verification audit of all government employees underpinned by mandatory biometric identification. 'Every person drawing a public salary must appear in person and be verified. The public has the right to know that the names on the payroll correspond to individuals who exist, who work, and who serve. 'We mustn't fool ourselves, the people behind the creation of ghost workers are syndicates - they are criminal organisations within the state. They work together. These aren't rogue individuals just taking the chance, it is a symptom of corruption within the state that is highly organised.' Cape Argus
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Ghost workers are a 'deliberate and orchestrated form of systemic corruption'
Jan de Villiers, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration during a briefing by the Governance Cluster Oversight Committees on Monday. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Jan de Villiers said that the persistent and corrosive problem of ghost workers in the public sector is not merely a payroll anomaly, but a 'deliberate and orchestrated form of systemic corruption'. De Villiers was part of the three chairpersons of the parliamentary Governance Cluster Oversight committees who held a briefing as part of the 7th Parliament's regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme on Monday. He said that the true scope of ghost workers is not truly known, and an investigation into this problem is part of a joint audit now underway between the Department of Public Service and Administration and the National Treasury. When tabling his budget, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that government had set its sights on conducting headcounts in the civil service to root out ghost-workers, as one of the initiatives. Earlier this year, Northdale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg identified more than 120 ghost health workers, while the Msunduzi Municipality had discovered over 100 on its payroll. In Gauteng, the provincial health department is also conducting a similar audit and has frozen the salaries of 66 suspected ghost workers to date. De Villiers said that as a portfolio committee tasked with oversight of the public service, 'the time for half-measures and talk-shops is over'. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Let us be clear, the phenomenon of ghost workers is not an issue of administrative error. 'The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) confirmed before Parliament that ghost workers are present across all three spheres of government, affecting national and provincial departments, municipalities, agencies, and state-owned entities alike. 'For example, last year, the Auditor-General (AG) uncovered R6.4 million in salaries being paid to ghost workers at the Mpumalanga Department of Education. In May this year, the Gauteng health department froze the salaries of 230 employees who could not be verified,' De Villiers said. 'These are not invisible names on paper. Real people are drawing fraudulent salaries, and real taxpayer money is being siphoned into private pockets under the guise of legitimate employment. The DPSA has disclosed that inserting a ghost worker into the public payroll system requires collusion between at least three internal officials. This means we are dealing not with random lapses in judgment but with embedded criminal syndicates operating in our public institutions.' Mr Jan de Villiers, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration during a briefing by the Governance Cluster Oversight Committees on Monday. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media He added that the data-driven approach of the joint audit represents a departure from the fragmented, ad hoc audits of the past. He added that they are also calling for this process to begin with a physical, in-person human verification audit of all government employees underpinned by mandatory biometric identification. 'Every person drawing a public salary must appear in person and be verified. The public has the right to know that the names on the payroll correspond to individuals who exist, who work, and who serve.' 'We mustn't fool ourselves, the people behind the creation of ghost workers are syndicates - they are criminal organisations within the state. They work together. These aren't rogue individuals just taking the chance, it is a symptom of corruption within the state that is highly organised.' He said that the whole purpose of the joint audit is to establish the seriousness, the scope and also the action plan to deal with ghost workers. De Villiers explained that they will reconvene with the DPSA and National Treasury in the third quarter of 2025 to receive a full progress report on the implementation of the joint ghost worker audit strategy. The committee will also call on the Auditor-General of South Africa to expand its scope, requiring that all department and entity audits include verification of whether internal ghost employee audits have been conducted and if they were done credibly. They will also push for disciplinary and criminal action to follow.
