UDM Gauteng decries ethical failures in Gauteng government as 37% of senior officials fail lifestyle audits
Statement by Andile Jabavu, Provincial Secretary of the United Democratic Movement in Gauteng
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in Gauteng is deeply disturbed by revelations that nearly 40% of senior officials within the Gauteng Provincial Government have failed their lifestyle audits. This includes high-ranking departmental heads, CEOs of provincial entities, and procurement officials.
This staggering figure, 37%, is not just a statistical red flag, but a moral crisis. It reveals a culture of impunity that continues to thrive under Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s administration, despite repeated promises of clean governance and ethical leadership.
Lifestyle audits are designed to uphold public trust by ensuring that those entrusted with state resources live within their means and maintain integrity. Yet, when such a significant portion of senior leadership fails to meet this standard, and faces no consequence, the very credibility of government is called into question.
The UDM in Gauteng demands:
1. Immediate disciplinary and legal action against all implicated officials, including suspension and criminal investigation where warranted;
2. Full transparency, with the Gauteng Government releasing the audit findings to the public;
3. Establishment of an independent oversight body to monitor corruption risks and procurement processes;
4. Institutionalisation of lifestyle audits across all provinces, with enforcement mechanisms built into performance agreements.
It is unacceptable that while communities in Gauteng continue to suffer from poor service delivery, crumbling infrastructure, and under-resourced public services, senior officials abuse their positions without consequence. The UDM in Gauteng remains committed to championing a clean, accountable, and people-centred government.
We will escalate this matter through the relevant oversight committees, and we urge the Public Protector and the Auditor-General to intervene and uphold constitutional principles of transparency and good governance.
