GOOD’S SHAUN AUGUST WELCOMES BILL’S EFFORTS TO STOP CORRUPTION AND CADRE DEPLOYMENT.
Statement by Shaun August, MP for GOOD.
GOOD’s MP, Shaun August, gave his support to the Science and Technology Amendment Bill today. He supported the amendment that seek to stop cadre deployment and said that “cadre deployment must be stopped. There are many skilled qualified people with no party affiliation that can do the jobs that need to be done. GOOD welcomes all efforts to stop corruption and cadre deployment and supports the amendments.”
Read his full statement here:
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GOOD notes the December 2019 recommendation from the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology that the National Assembly passes the Bill.
We thank the multi-party committee for their work and welcome the amendments that aims to ensure that all public entities comply with the Public Finance Management Act.
I also appreciate the submission received that anyone with a criminal record must be disqualified.
But from my own experience working in the justice sector, I know that, sometimes, criminals are able to be reformed.
I therefore appreciate the contention from the Department of Science and Technology that that this exclusion should be applied to a period of 10 years preceding a possible appointment.
The amendment to disqualify any person convicted for fraud, corruption or any other crime involving dishonesty from being considered for a board position for at least a decade is accepted.
But we all know even without a criminal record, the wrong people can still be appointed.
We have seen how corruption and maladministration results in the waste or theft of taxpayers’ money.
To protect the poor and our country’s finances, GOOD welcomes the stronger measures to ensure compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and the Bill’s measures to clamp down on cadre deployment board appointments by requiring the disclosure of any conflicts of interests.
Cadre deployment must be stopped. There are many skilled qualified people with no party affiliation that can do the jobs that need to be done.
It is a fact that cadre deployment has destroyed the independence, and often functionality, of government institutions.
GOOD welcomes all efforts to stop corruption and cadre deployment and supports the amendments.
Ends
media enquiries:
Shaun August
shauna@forgood.org.za