LETTER: A step towards transparency

The announcement by KwaZulu-Natal public works & infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer that all staff appointments and supply chain management meetings will be recorded with immediate effect is a significant step towards transparency within the government of provincial unity (GPU).

This bold move aims to end departmental corruption around staff recruitment and the awarding of tenders, which have historically been clouded by allegations of cadre deployment, corruption and nepotism.

The recordings are also critical in terms of protecting staff and contractors from false accusations, while the MEC has stated that any process that does not comply with the new measures will be cancelled.

The intervention will further ensure that issues about the competence of officials or companies to execute their mandate will be immediately established. This bodes well in ensuring that they are fit for purpose in serving the residents of KwaZulu-Natal.

Meyer’s new measures will begin the process of restoring public trust in the provincial department of public works & infrastructure. This commitment to continuous improvement and championing a culture of transparency should now be echoed across the province’s other government departments.

Tammy Colley, MPL
DA KwaZulu-Natal public works & infrastructure spokesperson

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