Jonas: SA needs corruption-free leadership
'Leadership that looks beyond its own narrow confines is needed'
SA’s deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas said on Thursday that patronage and corruption were undermining efforts for a credible government, a day after an audit showed the government had made $3bn in irregular expenditure this financial year. SA’s political elite has been involved in a slew of corruption scandals which have eroded the trust of investors and weighed on Africa’s most industrialised economy. Ratings agencies have warned of downgrades before the end of the year. Jonas’ remarks in a speech at a labour congress came a day after the auditor-general said irregular expenditure by government departments swelled 80% to R43.4bn in the 2015-16 financial year. "Leadership that looks beyond its own narrow confines is needed," Jonas said, adding that "patronage and corruption had undermined efforts to build a credible government". Last week President Jacob Zuma survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote over allegations of influence-peddling, one of several scandals involving hi...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.