Scopa wants Manyi punished as example

Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant must take steps as set out in the Public Finance Management Act. (Image: GCIS)

A committee resolution passed yesterday - which does not mention Mr Manyi by name - says that Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant must take steps as set out in the Public Finance Management Act against the director-general who was the accounting officer in that department in the 2010-11 financial year, following specific failures highlighted by the auditor-general.

These included that the directorgeneral did not take effective and appropriate steps to prevent and detect irregular expenditure; ensure that all payments due to creditors were settled within 30 days from receipt of an invoice; conduct performance assessment for senior managers; and ensure that funded vacant posts were timeously filled.

The act allows for "disciplinary steps (to) be taken or criminal charges (to) be laid" against officials who, among other things, wilfully or negligently fail to maintain "effective, efficient and transparent systems of financial and risk management", and to "prevent unauthorised, irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure".

Mr Manyi was director-general of the Department of Labour from August 2009 until his appointment to his current post in February last year. He was suspended as the department's director-general in June 2010 after the Norwegian embassy sent the South African government a diplomatic note concerning comments he made to that country's ambassador in a meeting.

Because no official complaint was laid, Mr Manyi was not disciplined and was instead posted to his current position for the rest of his contract, which is due to expire next month.

Sam Morotoba filled Mr Manyi's position as acting director-general during the suspension, and could also face disciplinary measures.

Scopa chairman Themba Godi said the committee was tired of members of the executive arm of government seemingly getting away with maladministration by leaving their positions, resulting in the matters being left in abeyance.

"We want to set a precedent that no matter where a person goes after committing an offence against the Public Finance Management Act, that they will either be properly disciplined, or, if the state has lost money, then this money is collected," Mr Godi said.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Dion George said it was seldom that officials who were guilty of such charges were actually prosecuted.

He said the DA had been applying pressure on Scopa to act about the lack of accountability by officials responsible for a breakdown in financial management that resulted in unjustifiable leakages from the public purse.

"We have also been advocating for an escalation model that would ensure responsible parties are held to account," Mr George said.

Source: Business Day