United Democratic Movement MPL Max Mhlathi yesterday challenged all members of the Bhisho legislature to subject themselves to a lifestyle audit to determine their sources of income.
The challenge comes amid claims by Mhlathi that some members were “living beyond their means”.
Mhlathi accused some of his legislature colleagues of “being progressive materially” because they did not only depend on salaries paid by the legislature.
He said their material wealth was as a result of them “raking (in) more funds” by doing business with state departments in conflict with their oversight mandate.
Addressing the legislature during the debate on Premier Phumulo Masualle's state of the province address, Mhlathi said it was unfair for politicians to pass legislation that prevented civil servants from doing business with the state while they and their families were allowed to do so.
“The UDM does not see any wisdom in confining the issue of trading with government to civil servants only. We can never win this war on corruption if we, as politicians, are allowed to do business with the government.
“We cannot be called upon to oversee the service delivery of departments and their expenditure of state resources while on other hand we trade with those departments,” Mhlathi said.
He said if public servants were forced to survive on their monthly salaries alone, the same should apply to politicians.
The only solution he could see to corruption was the introduction of a lifestyle audit among legislature politicians “which can then cascade down the line to public servants and councillors”.
In his address, DA leader Athol Trollip commended Masualle for focusing on economic development.
Trollip said he was particularly excited to hear Masualle speak with more commitment about the formation of partnerships and finding new revenue-generating initiatives.
But the DA leader lambasted government’s skimpy commitment to eradicating corruption.
“The elephant in the room though, Mr Premier, which you only saw fit to dedicate four sentences to, is corruption.”
Trollip called corruption “an embarrassment and a shame” and said the DA had lost faith in the government’s ability to ever defeat it.
COPE MPL Bishop Lievie Sharpley noted Masualle’s commitment to improve government accountability but Sharpley said: “Accountability without consequences becomes futile.”
He urged the government to improve the health profile of the province and to prioritise education and rural economic development.
ANC MPL Nomvuzo Mlombile-Cingo urged Masualle's government “to deal” with people implicated in corrupt activities, saying those found to be on the wrong side should be made to “step aside”.
Her ANC colleague, Mpumelelo Saziwa, called on the state to conduct a land ownership audit.
Eastern Cape DA chairwoman and MPL Veliswa Mvenya said that when the provincial government failed to take action against those implicated in corrupt activities, it was actually “defending corruption”.
Her colleague, MPL Bobby Stevenson, urged Masualle to prioritise tourism.
The debate continues this morning. — asandan@dispatch.co.za