Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government is not serious about protecting Gauteng public money meant to improve the quality of life for its residents, as he and his comrades have not provided oversight to ensure that irregular expenditure is investigated and either written off or recovered.
According to unaudited figures for the 2024/25 financial year, the balance of irregular expenditure racked up over years of poor financial management in the Gauteng Department of Health has surged to R28.2 billion, and the Department of Human Settlements now stands at R7.3 billion. This is a combined increase of R1.5 billion in one year. These figures represent not only an abdication of robust financial mismanagement, but also the collapse of consequence management in these departments.
Irregular expenditure is defined as spending in contravention of, or not in accordance with legislation. This expenditure, especially in procurement and supply chain functions, is a warning sign of possible corruption. When its balance rises year after year, it means that this administration is not performing its legislated functions, and no one is being held to account.
The balance of irregular expenditure should be reduced over time if the Head of the Department and senior financial officials are performing their functions and politicians are providing oversight. In the case of these two departments, it has increased.
Despite clear Treasury frameworks and strict timelines for investigating irregular expenditure, laying criminal charges, and disciplining those responsible, Premier Lesufi’s administration continues to make excuses, blaming delays by the Treasury and missing historical records.
During the budget speech in the Gauteng Legislature, Lebogang Maile, the MEC for Finance, claimed, “As the Executive Council, we must take charge in clearing irregular expenditure…”. Yet the growing mountain of irregular expenditure indicates that talk is cheap, and that propaganda and empty promises are the order of the day.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government will adhere to all the requirements of the irregular expenditure framework by expediting full investigations into all new irregular expenditure and prioritising consequence management for errant officials.
Gauteng residents deserve a government that respects every Rand of public funds. The DA is ready to rescue Gauteng from financial collapse and restore accountability where Lesufi’s government has failed. The oversight role expected of politicians will no longer be an afterthought but will be front and centre in maintaining accountability.