Disastrous set of standards

IT WOULD appear that swindling taxpayers out of thousands of rands is a lesser offence than voting against ANC orders. Why else has the former to date drawn no sanction, yet the latter seen rapid action with a hearing already set?

The stark contrasts between the two offer an insight into governance failures that will inevitably cost everyone in our region a high price in lost economic benefits.

The first case allegedly involved criminal fraud when a forged letter invited four councillors to a three-day government workshop in Johannesburg with Buffalo City Metro picking up the R25 000 bill.

The dates of the fake workshop coincided with the ANC’s 105th January 8 anniversary celebrations in Johannesburg.

In similar vein, although not involving criminal allegations, was the last-minute cancellation of a trip by two councillors to India for a tourism expo because they decided it was more important to miss the trip in order to vote in a factional party fight over who should be the acting municipal manager – not the permanent position, but a temporary position.

Again, with almost arrogant disdain, Buffalo City taxpayers were expected to pick up the R200 000 tab.

Then came the actual ballot for the acting manager just over a week ago, when 21 ANC councillors evidently broke party ranks to vote for a candidate not supported by the party’s regional executive.

There was no wasted cost for the taxpayers to pay, but the gnashing of teeth could almost be heard from one end of the metro to the other.

The party rapidly convened a disciplinary panel at which the councillors will have to explain the error of their ways and quite possibly face being dumped from the council or even expelled from the party.

It is glaring that no action has yet been taken against the four accused of criminal fraud to the cost of taxpayers.

The mayor, Xola Pakati, admits he signed off the expenses of the trip based on the letter inviting the four to the workshop.

Yet he has not to this day announced any criminal charges or disciplinary action against the four, despite being the victim of a fraudulent act.

Instead, the municipality has said only that it is to investigate the matter.

What is to investigate? Either the letter was genuine or not, and the purported author has already stated he did not write the letter.

Either the workshop took place or it did not, and the department has already stated there was no workshop.

Who else other than the four councillors benefited from this fraudulent act?

What possibly reason can there be for the lack of action?

The mayor needs to answer these basic questions.

What governance standards does all this illustrate?

For a start it shows that party transgressions are regarded as more severe than criminal or irresponsible wastes of public money.

It also illustrates far greater tolerance for unprofessional and even illegal actions – which is possibly the most telling.

Unless public governance operates to legal standards that are committed to serving the public, the outcome will be both costly and disastrous.