Spitting on the poor

HOW did Limpopo end up with a government that is devoid of morality? How did the ruling party bequeath to the people of Limpopo leaders who have no regard for the welfare of the people but are driven by their own selfish interests?

A high-profile cabinet delegation broke the news that Limpopo is in crisis . We have known this of course, but this week's press briefing exposed a level of crassness and profligacy that defies belief . Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that Limpopo is the only province with a cash crisis of R1-billion.

The news came a few days after the auditor-general's disheartening revelations that more than R20-billion had been spent by national and provincial departments in "unauthorised, irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure". Terence Nombembe highlighted supply chain management - a division through which contracts and tenders are awarded - "as a key problem area". This is a charitable way of saying it is a shambles.

How much more of this total disregard for the country and its citizens are we expected to take?

While many national and provincial departments are named in the auditor-general's report, Limpopo has outdone itself as a province spending beyond its means - and where service delivery remains poor. The short-sightedness of the Limpopo administration is mind-boggling and it is sad that citizens are being used as pawns in a political game whose only casualties are the people, and not the politicians.

Revelations that the "leaders" of that province were deliberately sabotaging service delivery and using the national government as a scapegoat clearly indicate that the government is at war with itself. Not even in the DA-led Western Cape have we seen such a blatant attempt to tarnish the national government and stage an ill-informed rebellion, all at great cost to the people.

Some service providers were paid eight times a month for the same service - in some instances every two days. It beggars belief. There are cases where money is being demanded but the paperwork is in not in order - no invoice, no contract, and no tender. The situation is so dire, that in some instances, the province could not pay doctors, nurses and teachers - people who are pivotal to the survival of any nation. It is inconceivable that those responsible for this mess are still in their cushy jobs, drawing state salaries.

Limpopo may be under administration by the national government but this intervention falls short of ensuring accountability. We have to urgently get to a space where there are ramifications for such transgressions. We cannot simply move on.

Another question that is yet to be answered is why the national government, as the custodian of our wellbeing, did not step in sooner.

I find it quite interesting that "a lack of capacity" is often blamed for noncompliance and poor financial control, yet the same people demonstrate an immeasurable capacity to waste taxpayer's money. How telling that they display extreme competence in plundering the state's coffers.

These are politicians and civil servants who must have an innate sense of what is good and bad but consciously and deliberately choose the bad. Much is expected of them because many of them come from humble beginnings. You would think the poverty and hardships that characterised their upbringing would galvanise them into action to create this "better life for all". Why, then, are they spitting in the faces of the poor?

Gordhan rightly asked: "What have we descended to when we stop giving food to patients, just to defend our political base? Where is the morality?" The answer is obvious: the financial bankruptcy of Limpopo has been fuelled by moral bankruptcy .

I can just see them with their well-fed frames, wearing dark glasses and making speeches from air-conditioned stages. They talk about "our people" and "the poor"L as commodities, yet as civil servants their role should be to serve. The impact of economic interests on politics cannot be denied but integrity is the need of the hour.

As the ANC goes into its elective conference, we cannot afford to have the functioning of the state paralysed by political power plays. We cannot miss an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people simply because those entrusted with this task have put the country last while they immerse themselves in their battles. This country does not belong to the ANC, it is our country too.