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The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) expresses appreciation to the KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala, for his ambitious zero-tolerance stance and commitment to eradicating corruption, made during the ANC's 110th Anniversary in Mpophomeni on Sunday.

While we applaud the Premier for his stance on corruption, the question remains: is this yet another smokescreen, more rhetoric or just a political hallucination? Since he became Premier in 2019, he has, on numerous occasions, announced that lifestyle audits for the Premier, MECs, senior managers and supply chain officials would be conducted by the State Security Agency and SARS. To date, this has not happened. The time for rhetoric is over. We demand practical, tangible solutions.

If the Premier wants to prove that he is serious about eradicating corruption he must start by cleaning up his own office first. He must not surround himself with corrupt elements. Failure to flush them out creates the impression that he condones and is in favour of corruption.

There are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. Gone are the days when corrupt, politically connected individuals escape justice. Corrupt officials must not be protected. They must be exposed - without fear or favour - blacklisted and sent to jail.

KwaZulu-Natal has strong anti-corruption policies, embedded in the Constitution and multiple laws. Codes of ethics and corruption-free procedures must be enforced to ensure service delivery, increase public confidence, and win the fight against corruption.

Issued by IFP Chief Whip in the KZN Legislature Blessed Gwala