In a bid to root out malfeasance in the public service, government plans to complete lifestyle audits of all members of the Senior Management Service (SMS) by early 2024.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said this while tabling the Presidency Budget Vote in the National Assembly in Parliament on Wednesday.
"Implementing government's programme of action rests on having a capable, ethical developmental State. To this end, our focus is on strengthening the capacity of the civil service to deliver on its mandate of serving the people of South Africa.
"We applaud the many public servants who continue to serve the people of South Africa with diligence and commitment. To root out malfeasance in the public service, we plan to complete lifestyle audits of all members of the Senior Management Service by early 2024," the President said.
As part of the response to the recommendations of the State Capture Commission, President Ramaphosa said that government has prioritised the establishment of a single register for disciplinary cases and processes across all spheres of government.
Cabinet recently approved for public comment a bill that would expand the powers of the Public Service Commission, including giving the Commission authority over local government.
The President said this will go a long way to improving the professionalism and accountability of all spheres of the administration.
Reform of intelligence services
President Ramaphosa announced that the reform of intelligence services is gaining momentum, with the recent approval by Cabinet of the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill.
"This is a major step in implementing the recommendations of the High Level Panel on the State Security Agency, the Expert Panel on the July 2021 Unrest and the State Capture Commission," he said.
The bill provides a framework for the restructuring of the country's intelligence services, strengthens measures to regulate the private security industry, and addresses some of the shortcomings identified by the Financial Action Task Force.
Strengthening agencies to deal with State Capture
Strengthening the country's anti-corruption institutional architecture is one of the key recommendations of the State Capture Commission.
"The National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council that was set up to advise government on a society-wide fight against corruption has been very active. The Council has organised itself into workstreams that include legislative reforms and transparency, monitoring and evaluation, public procurement and whistle-blower protection, amongst others," President Ramaphosa said.
The President said that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is finalising a review of the country's anti-corruption architecture for consultation with stakeholders, which they intend to conclude before the end of 2023.
He said the department has committed to ensuring that reviews of the Protected Disclosures Act and Witness Protection Act are completed and these amendments are tabled in Parliament this year.
"Legislation is being developed to make the Investigating Directorate permanent and for it to be provided with full investigative powers. Another milestone in the fight against corruption will be the tabling in Parliament of the Public Procurement Bill that is aimed at putting stronger safeguards in place to prevent corruption in public procurement," he said.
National Strategic Plan on GBVF
Despite progress in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), the country remains a long way off from achieving a society where this scourge is eradicated.
"South Africans refuse to remain silent in the face of violence against women and children. Working together with government and civil society, people from all walks of life are contributing to the pillars of the National Strategic Plan. One of these pillars is legislative reform," he said.
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In April this year, the Domestic Violence Amendment Act came into operation. It forms part of the trio of laws assented to last year to strengthen the fight against GBVF, including through the introduction of harsher sentences for perpetrators.
The President said additional resources have been allocated to the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units.
The number of Thuthuzela Care Centres has increased from 55 to 63 since 2020, with the most recent centre being opened in Jozini (KwaZulu-Natal) on the 1st of May.
"To advance the economic empowerment of women, over 6 000 women entrepreneurs have been trained to participate in public procurement.
"Over the last financial year, the Industrial Development Corporation has provided around R2.1 billion net funding approved to women-empowered and women-owned companies," he said.
The President said work is underway to ensure that the long-awaited GBVF Council is established and operational by March 2024.
