The Democratic Alliance (DA) is appalled by the brazen theft of public money in local governments and calls on more convictions and harsh punishment of those who steal from the public.
In a report presented by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), it was revealed that the total cost of local government fraud and corruption cases currently under investigation amount to more than R1.4 billion.
Cogta has also confirmed that this figure only relates to cases of fraud and corruption which have been reported to the department. This means that the South African municipalities have probably been syphoned of many more billions without anyone sounding the alarm.
In a separate report presented by the Special Investigative Unit (SIU), it was revealed that of the 32 corruption investigations which they have concluded since 2002, there have only been 13 convictions secured and R55 million has been recovered.
While the DA welcomes the action that has been taken thus far, 13 convictions and R55 million in recovered assets in 18 years are but a drop in the ocean compared to the more than R1.4 billion that has been looted.
The DA, therefore, calls on the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) to up its game in seizing assets from individuals with glaring evidence of wrongdoing leveled against them related to local government corruption. All too often funds disappear before these cases end up in court.
Corruption in local government is clearly a scourge that must be wiped out if we want to stand any chance of stabilising and improving services to all South Africans.