Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa says the lifestyle audits against members of his Cabinet were taking longer than they anticipated.
However, lifestyle audits against senior officials in government have already begun.
Ramaphosa was quick to add that the reason for the delay in the implementation of lifestyle audits against members of the Cabinet was the Zondo Commission report.
The commission has submitted other reports into state capture, but the last report was still to be submitted.
The president said the Zondo report would be used as an additional measure for ministers to be held accountable before the lifestyle audits against members of the Cabinet are implemented.
Ramaphosa announced when he assumed office that he would conduct lifestyle audits for Cabinet members and senior officials in the public sector.
This was part of an attempt to fight corruption across the state.
In a written reply to a question from the leader of the official opposition, Ramaphosa said it was taking them longer to start with the lifestyle audits than they had anticipated.
“The introduction of lifestyle audits for Members of the Executive has taken far longer than originally anticipated while we have begun with lifestyle audits for senior public servants, it is important that we extend this practice to Members of the Executive. Much work has been done on the approach and methodology to lifestyle audits of Members of the Executive. However, the finalisation of this work is being held in abeyance pending the submission of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. This is so that any additional measures required to strengthen executive accountability and conduct can be considered holistically,” said Ramaphosa.
