The Democratic Alliance (DA) has appealed to the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to enact tougher sanctions against financial misconduct on the part of public servants and to standardise the disciplinary code on financial impropriety.

In a written reply to a DA parliamentary question, Minister of Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet made the disclosure that there were 523 cases of financial misconduct by public servants reported during the 2021/22 financial year and this cost the State R1.5-billion.

Kiviet’s reply has also revealed that a Lieutenant Colonel in the Department of Defence only received a reprimand amid accusations of irregular expenditure to the amount of R8-million. Further, two directors and deputy directors in the Department of Employment and Labour who lost R66-million owing to gross negligence were issued with final written warnings and kept their jobs, and a public servant in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition had their written warning withdrawn despite accusations of malfeasance amounting to R2-million.

The DA has asserted that the issue will only worsen under the current system if the department continues to impose light and inconsequential sanctions on offenders.

“[The DPSA’s] lack of tough action against public servants involved in financial misconduct is entrenching a culture of impunity and not enough deterrence against would-be offenders,” said DA MP Mimmy Gondwe.

She said that the DA remained concerned about the disparities in the extent of graft between national government departments and provincial government departments. Public servants in national government departments account for R1.3-billion of the loss whereas their provincial counterparts account for R230-million. 

“It cannot be business as usual when the South African taxpayer is robbed blind of R1.5-billion, at a time when the country’s public finances are in such a deep crisis. The professionalisation of the public service will remain a pipe dream for as long as the DPSA folds its arms and refuses to introduce strong consequence management interventions to deter malfeasance in the public service,” Gondwe said.