“The Christian Democratic Party (CDP) supports minister Pravin Gordhan’s
admission that the target of clean audits for municipalities by the end
of the year is over ambitious,” says CDP leader, Rev. Theunis Botha.
“The next step is to announce that cadre deployment – which is actually
unconstitutional – will be scrapped, and replaced by a system of merit-
appointments. Efforts to curb corruption must also be rigorously
implemented.
“We realise that Gordhan inherited this ridiculous target from
predecessors, notably the highly controversial Sicelo Shiceka, who
clearly underestimated the problem and in fact made a laughing stock
out of the government.
“It will be a sad day for the country if Gordhan fails in his new
portfolio, being sabotaged by his colleagues, who put ideology above
reality.
“In fact, the two years before the nation-wide municipal elections may
not be enough to undo the mess his predecessors made and the CDP will
carefully monitor to see whether significant progress has been made.
Not only as far as clean audits are concerned, but also other aspects
of good governance, ie clean drinking water, properly functioning
sewerage farms, proper communication with the electorate, and focussing
on real needs, and not window dressing such as name changes against the
will of the people.”
Afrikaans Version
Gordhan het groot taak – CDP
“Die Christen-Demokratiese Party (CDP) verwelkom minister Pravin
Gordhan se erkenning dat die teiken van skoon oudits vir alle
munisipaliteite teen die einde van die jaar oor-ambisieus is,” sê ds.
Theunis Botha, leier van die CDP.
“Die volgende treetjie is om aan te kondig dat die beleid van
kader-ontplooiing – wat in elk geval ongrondwetlik is – geskrap word, en
vervang gaan word met meriete-aanstellings, en dat korrupsie nou
uiteindelik ernstig aangepreek gaan word.
“Ons besef dat Gordhan die verspotte teiken by sy voorgangers geërf het,
veral die hoogs omstrede Sicelo Shiceka wat duidelik die omvang van die
probleem onderskat het, en die regering belaglik laat lyk het.
“Dit sal ‘n rampspoedige dag vir die land wees as Gordhan in hier
portefeulje misluk omdat hy deur sy kollegas gesaboteer word wat
ideologie bo die werklikheid plaas.
“Daar is in elk geval waarskynlik te min tyd oor om die teiken te haal
en sy voorgangers se gemors op te ruim voor die landswye munisipale
verkiesings oor minder as twee jaar plaasvind, maar die CDP sal ‘n
wakende oog hou of daar ‘n beduidende vordering met skoon oudits gemaak
word. Ons gaan nie net op skoon oudits let nie, maar ook ander aspekte
van skoon regering, soos skoon drinkwater, behorlike funksionerende
rioolsuiweringsaanlegte, behoorlike kommunikasie met die kiesers, en
die aandag aan werklike kwessies eerder as politieke afleiers soos
naamsveraderinge teen die bevolking se wil, sal onder oog gehou word.”
