East Cape News (Grahamstown)
19 June 2003
Grahamstown — The department of Safety and Security has received a thumbs up from the Public Service and Accountability Monitor (PSAM) for it's "prompt response" in updating information on corrective action taken against it's officials reported for misconduct.
The PSAM said in a press release yesterday (subs: Thurs) that it had received a "comprehensive response" from Safety and Security departmental head Singata Mafanya following its request to all provincial departments for updates on misconduct cases.
Mafanya's response to the PSAM revealed, inter alia, that: current spokesperson for the national Parliament, Lupumzo Kebeni continued to act as a spokesperson for the department of Safety and Security for two years after his conviction for fraud before resigning. Kebeni was then employed by the National Assembly which failed to obtain his character reference from the department; the official responsible for the audit disclaimer issued to the department in 1997/98 had been sent for retraining. Mafanya said that this retraining resulted in the department being awarded top marks in the 2001 Annual Public Sector Reporting Awards; media reports that an employee of the department had fraudulently obtained a housing subsidy were incorrect since the employee named had never worked for the department.
In congratulating the department of Safety and Security for its response the PSAM pointed out that "by working together in communicating action taken in response to cases of misconduct, corruption and maladministration the PSAM and the provincial government can help build confidence in the provincial administration and improve investor perceptions of the province".
Earlier this month Director of the PSAM, Colm Allan, told delegates to the third Global Forum on "Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity" held in Seoul, Korea that both government and the independent media "would benefit considerably" by using the data collected by monitoring organisations such as the PSAM.
Allan told the high-powered delegates from 123 countries that governments should "embrace" the independent media and monitoring organisations as "a vital part of their communication strategy for combatting corruption".
The Forum adopted a declaration committing all 123 represented governments to supporting the independent media as a means to fighting corruption.
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