The Free State has been labelled as the top province with the most culprits in employment irregularities by civil organisation, Corruption Watch.
According to the organisation’s recent 12th annual corruption report, titled Changing the Landscape, this implies among others, government employees in the Free State have been hired in positions they don’t qualify for.
The report has fingered the province among the top three most corrupt provinces in the country.
Employment irregularities and maladministration are among the top corrupt practices that have been revealed.
A political expert believes the issue of corruption is long standing in South Africa.
It is viewed as a vicious cycle that the Free State has been known for.
“It is very worrying where you find a province, like the Free State which has been battling political infighting, for many years, also being amongst the top three provinces that are being flagged in terms of corruption. It is very worrying but I have huge confidence in the current leadership of the province,” says political analyst Prof Sethulego Matebesi.
“People who are in power, they don’t consider other departments as important but they’re part of the sector of the state especially in the Free State province whereby funds must be allocated. For example, let’s talk about distribution of funds to infrastructure, you see the state of our roads, you see the building state of our town. You can realize that there’s a problem, funds are not allocated and it derails the growth of the economy of the province,” says economist Mgcinazwe Zwane.
There are mixed reactions over the report, with some civil right movements not convinced about the findings, while others could relate.
“I’d like to know, how did they come with that conclusion first of all. I’m not saying there is no corruption, there’s corruption all over in South Africa. The current leadership has inherited a corrupt system and how do you stop that corrupt system now,” says Mangaung Concerned Community’s Donald Constable.
“We’re not happy because it shows that our leadership is not taking us seriously the unemployed but we’re saying because of lack of leadership in the province, that is why we’re in this position,” says Botshabelo Unemployment Movement’s Mooketsi Diba.
Corruption is said to be negatively affecting service delivery. Experts question the reason it is still continuing.
“At the end of the day, the question is why is this continuing and especially if we look at this annual report from the Auditor-General and I strongly believe that happens because there’s absolutely no consequent management, only up until action has been taken against those who approve some of these funds that are used in what I would say in ways, it’s only then that I think we will see improvement on this particular matter,” says Matebesi.
