Speaking at a celebration marking the Centenary of the Office of the Auditor-General on Thursday evening, 24 November 2011, Zuma noted a number of initiatives that showed government was serious about tackling corruption.
"We have issued proclamations allowing high-level investigators to probe suspected wrongdoing in various entities. We have also used powers ascribed to the President by the Constitution to intervene in provinces or departments where we have felt things ought to be done much better," he said.
Zuma said these measures were taken because government was committed to a clean and ethical administration. It was also committed to working together with Chapter 9 institutions, such as the Office of the Auditor-General, to achieve this.
While the Auditor-General's office was established on 12 May 1911, Zuma said the democratic environment enabled the institution to thrive, given the transparency that has characterised government and society over the past 17 years.
"It is that culture of openness that has enabled the Auditor-General's office to be able to uncover wastage, fruitless expenditure, under-spending, overspending and other serious shortcomings in the handling of public finances. Indeed, since 1994, our country's Supreme Audit Institution has grown into a respected pillar of our democratic architecture."
Due to its outstanding work, the Office of the Auditor-General was respected by South Africans, Parliament, government departments, other entities and the international community, he noted.
Zuma urged the Auditor-General to help government promote accounting and auditing profession to the youth so that the country can build this capacity, especially within the public service.
"The fear of mathematics and accounting should gradually become a thing of the past, and the Office of the Auditor-General can be a good partner in this regard. We also need to inculcate the values of integrity and honesty in all public servants as a preventative measure against corruption," he said.
The President congratulated the Office of the Auditor-General on behalf on government and South Africans for reaching its centenary.
"May the institution grow from strength to strength and continue serving our people diligently, independently and without fear or favour," he said.
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