The thorny issue of lifestyle audits in government departments was in the spotlight this week, revealing a grim picture.
World Bank anti-corruption expert Albertus Schoeman testified before the Madlanga commission of inquiry that none of the top senior SAPS chiefs had been subjected to full lifestyle audits between 2021 and 2024, and probably up until now.
It’s a worrying situation, given the jaw-dropping revelations that have come out of the commission probing allegations of corruption and abuse of power in the criminal justice system, with the SAPS at the centre of it.
Evidence has been led on how top cops and senior metro police officers live beyond their means, leading to lifestyles that are irreconcilable with their salaries.
But the issue goes far beyond the police service.
With the extent of the rot we witness on a daily basis in the public service, it’s a no-brainer why high-ranking officials ignore requests for selected lifestyle audits by the SIU
In March this year, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), during a meeting with parliament’s portfolio committee on public service & administration, lamented how lifestyle audits had to be approved by the department of the person to be audited in terms of the national corruption risk management and prevention framework, managed by the department of public service & administration.
The SIU has proposed that it should be enabled to conduct lifestyle audits on an annual basis in a blanket and random fashion.
And this is at the heart of the problem. If SIU lifestyle audits are not enforceable for senior government officials, why would they comply?
With the extent of the rot we witness on a daily basis in the public service, it’s a no-brainer why high-ranking officials ignore requests for selected lifestyle audits by the SIU.
Since parliament’s portfolio committee pronounced in favour of the SIU proposal, it’s high time they follow through with concrete action and table legislation that makes these lifestyle audits for senior government managers non-negotiable.
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