Zuko Komisa

The Gauteng Provincial Government has dismissed three provincial Heads of Department (HODs) after they failed lifestyle audits. This decisive action was announced by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi during a media briefing on Wednesday.
The removals come in the wake of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report earlier this year, which revealed that a staggering 37% of senior provincial government officials had failed lifestyle audits. These audits scrutinize whether an official’s declared lifestyle aligns with their legitimate income.
Premier Lesufi explained that due process was followed, with affected officials given opportunities to explain inconsistencies. However, three of the four outstanding HOD reports again returned with “failed audit outcomes,” prompting their immediate removal.
The Director-General’s office will facilitate their exits and publicly announce the administrative changes.
Lesufi emphasized that this move reaffirms the province’s “commitment to ensure that departments are led by people with impeccable credentials.”
Beyond the HOD dismissals, the SIU is now conducting lifestyle audits for all supply chain and finance officials across various departments. The Premier noted that reports from this extensive exercise would begin with the Office of the Premier.
In a further display of transparency, Premier Lesufi also released 47 forensic investigation reports compiled by various institutions, including the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Public Protector. These reports cover a wide array of alleged wrongdoings, such as the abuse of state resources, irregular expenditure, fraud, and corruption.
“We are proud to release these reports to indicate our commitment that we will not tolerate any form of corruption,” Lesufi stated.
The Office of the Premier has established a dedicated committee to track progress. They are actively collaborating with the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and utilizing the Special Tribunal at the SIU to strengthen asset recovery efforts.
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