Cogta proposes mandatory lifestyle audits for local government officials

THE Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is mooting the introduction of lifestyle audits in the sphere of local government.

- MAYIBONGWE MAGHINA

Lifestyle audits are currently not mandatory for officials and councillors in the municipalities.

But, this could soon be something of the past if the statements made by Cogta minister Velenkosini Hlabisa are anything to go by. Hlabisa made his intention to introduce the lifestyle audits in municipalities when he was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Anna Maria van Zyl.

“The department is engaging with the South African Local Government Association and the Department of Public Service and Administration to introduce lifestyle audits at municipalities.

“The parties are also analysing the existing local government legislative framework to determine if it is sufficient to roll out lifestyle audits at the municipal level,’ he said.

Responding to Van Zyl, Hlabisa said asset disclosures are mandatory for municipal managers and section 56 managers in line with the Code of Conduct for Municipal Staff Members and Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment for Senior Managers.

“The maintenance of registers for the management of disclosures and the declaration of interests, including the interest in property, is administered by municipalities in terms of item 8 of schedule 7 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors”

Hlabisa said councillors were required in terms of the code to declare their financial interest to the municipal manager within 60 days of their election.