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The Star
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Lesufi set to fire senior officials as Ethics Report Exposes misconduct and lavish lifestyles
Sifiso Mahlangu | Published 6 hours ago Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is preparing to dismiss several senior officials following revelations of widespread misconduct and financial irregularities within the provincial administration. The move comes after a damning report by the Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council exposed how high-ranking government figures were living well beyond their means and engaging in illegal business dealings with the state. According to sources close to the matter, the axe is expected to fall as early as next week on a number of heads of department (HODs) and chief executives. The lifestyle audits, commissioned amid growing concern over senior officials driving luxury vehicles and maintaining opulent lifestyles inconsistent with their official salaries, confirmed deep-rooted ethical breaches. The ethics report found that out of 19 senior managers audited, more than a third either failed outright or were marked as high-risk. The situation has raised serious questions about the integrity of provincial leadership and the enforcement of governance standards. The report also revealed that 152 public servants were actively doing business with the government — a direct violation of the Public Administration Management Act, which prohibits such conduct. The education department emerged as the most problematic, with 124 employees flagged for transacting with the state. Beyond ethics violations, Lesufi is reportedly frustrated with poor departmental performance. Several departments underspent their allocated budgets, leading to the return of R1.8 billion to the National Treasury — a significant setback for service delivery in a province grappling with infrastructure and social challenges. Insiders say this has compounded pressure on the premier to take decisive action.' There's a pattern of underperformance, overspending on office leases, and now clear evidence of unethical conduct,' said a senior government source. 'Lesufi is left with no choice but to act.' The final straw appears to be a combination of electoral backlash and internal ANC pressure. The party's support in Gauteng plummeted from 50% in 2019 to 34% in the 2024 elections, forcing it into a coalition government. This political blow has prompted calls from within the ANC, particularly the Youth League, to urgently reform the provincial administration and remove officials hindering progress, especially in departments tasked with youth development and bursaries. 'You can't lose public support like that and continue with business as usual,' said a source close to the premier. 'Some of these officials have become complacent and detached from the urgency needed to fix the province.' Lesufi has credited the independent ethics council with driving efforts to clean up government, praising their role in initiating lifestyle audits and advising on procurement and local governance reforms. While some of the flagged transactions in the education sector were minor, such as teachers moonlighting during marking or selling small goods to schools, Lesufi said all irregularities must be scrutinised. The report will be formally tabled at the next executive council meeting, and Lesufi's administration has committed to respond within 14 days.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Lesufi set to fire senior officials as Ethics Report Exposes misconduct and lavish lifestyles
Panyaza Lesufi According to sources, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is expected to fire a number of heads of department and chief executives. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is preparing to dismiss several senior officials following revelations of widespread misconduct and financial irregularities within the provincial administration. The move comes after a damning report by the Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council exposed how high-ranking government figures were living well beyond their means and engaging in illegal business dealings with the state. According to sources close to the matter, the axe is expected to fall as early as next week on a number of heads of department (HODs) and chief executives. The lifestyle audits, commissioned amid growing concern over senior officials driving luxury vehicles and maintaining opulent lifestyles inconsistent with their official salaries, confirmed deep-rooted ethical breaches. The ethics report found that out of 19 senior managers audited, more than a third either failed outright or were marked as high-risk. The situation has raised serious questions about the integrity of provincial leadership and the enforcement of governance standards. The report also revealed that 152 public servants were actively doing business with the government — a direct violation of the Public Administration Management Act, which prohibits such conduct. The education department emerged as the most problematic, with 124 employees flagged for transacting with the state.
08-05-2025
- Business
Gauteng Govt: 37% of senior officials fail lifestyle audits
The government in Gauteng revealed that 37% of senior officials have failed their lifestyle audits. EWN reported that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was tasked to conduct audits of heads of department, CEOs and supply chain management officials. This is to ensure that officials do not engage in corrupt activities and to enhance ethical governance. The audits found that 16% of senior officials were classified as medium risk, with the remaining 47% deemed low risk. Chairperson of the Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council, Solomuzi Mabuza, told EWN that it was encouraging to see the implementation of lifestyle audits across the provincial government. He noted that the audits cover the Premier, MECs, the director-general, all heads of department, and officials in high-risk roles. Mabuza emphasised the need to report wrongdoing through established channels and urged Gauteng residents to take note. The Gauteng State of Ethics Report revealed that over 150 Gauteng government officials are illegally conducting business with the state. According to Section eight of the Public Administration Management Act, government employees cannot do business with the state, including securing tenders or contracts. The report revealed that the Gauteng Department of Education links 124 of the 152 employees. Other departments involved in similar practices include Sport, Health, and Infrastructure Development. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
