15 Dec 2020

Southern District Councilors have been encouraged to file declarations of their  assets and liabilities with the Ethics and Integrity Directorate before the end of December 31, this year.

Ethics and Integrity Directorate Director general, Ms Beaulah Mguni told a full council meeting that failure to file on time would attract a penalty of P20 000 or an imprisonment term of two years or both.

Responding to councillors’ request for the extension of the submission deadline to February 2021, Ms Mguni emphasised the need to file on time, saying the declaration of assets was a fundamental element of culture and integrity in the public system.

The objectives of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Act, which commenced on October 22, last year; include monitoring the interests, income, assets and liabilities of those persons for the purposes of preventing and detecting corruption, money laundering and the acquisition of property from proceeds of any other offence.

 “A credible asset disclosure system can help promote and reinforce integrity and accountability in the public office,” she said further indicating that the act was also part of the framework for fulfilling international obligations, as required under the United Nations Convention against corruption.

Ms Mguni stated that political leaders were required to declare within 60 days following assumption of office, as that would help identify unjustified variation of wealth, and detect conflict of interest, corruption, money laundering and illicit acquisition of property.

She further noted that disciplinary action might include the exclusion of a councillor from sitting in council meetings until such time when the declaration would have been submitted.

“Our office is available to help to fill the declaration form, through request we visit those in need of our assistance,” she said.

She said declaration of interests, income, assets and liabilities shall contain details of any property owned, whether movable or immovable, money, rights, privileges, dividends, bonds, vehicles, interests in a company, business, board membership, investments related to pension, insurance policies, to mention a few. Ms Mguni shared that the directorate might however conduct further inquiries as a way of monitoring, where there were queries of unethical conduct such as suspected false or incomplete declaration, and in cases of alleged or non-compliance with the act.

In such cases, she said, the directorate  verified declarations to determine significant and unjustified changes in the assets, income, liabilities of declarants, and the truthfulness of information and also trace the origin of properties declared and consistency with their legitimate incomes.However, the councilors questioned the robustness of the roll-out exercise in sensitising those who had to submit the declarations, adding that in their case they were not yet conversant on the new developments.

Councilors also pointed out that they still needed to be orientated on what needed to be done so as to familiarise themselves with the act. ends