Cape Town - Premier Alan Winde on Wednesday started the process to institute lifestyle audits for all of the members of his cabinet, as well as to review sections of the
Western Cape government
ministerial handbook.
Following his first cabinet
caucus on Thursday, Winde announced that a tender would soon be issued to solicit bids from independent service providers to conduct the lifestyle audits.
Lifestyle audits test whether the lifestyle of an employee is in line with that person’s known income stream.
Winde pledged to set “a new standard for anti-corruption” by requiring all his MECs to undergo a lifestyle audit, which he said would be “performed now, and again at the end of the term”.
On Wednesday, Winde said, “South Africans deserve public representatives who are accountable and transparent, and these audits are a step towards ensuring that the people entrusted with roles in my cabinet are of the highest integrity.”
The audits, will include: credit searches on the applicant and his/her immediate family members, criminal record searches, the verification of fixed and moveable assets, an asset search in the case of undeclared assets and an assessment of donations, gifts and potential linkages to executive responsibilities.
“These audits are set to
commence within the next month.”
Also discussed during the cabinet caucus was a review of the ministerial handbook, which guides the benefits and privileges to which members of the provincial cabinet are entitled.
“South Africa’s economy is in trouble, and it is important that government spend is centred on citizens and service delivery.
“Our first review of the handbook, which was finalised in 2011, helped us save R100million. In this second review, we are looking for ways in which we can further tighten our belts,” Winde said.