Over the past five years, the South African Police Service verified 4,608 financial disclosures by its senior management and conducted 450 lifestyle reviews. The number of cases that escalated to a full lifestyle audit in that period: zero.
HERE is a statistic to trouble every South African. Over the past five years, the South African Police Service verified 4,608 financial disclosures by its senior management and conducted 450 lifestyle reviews. The number of cases that escalated to a full lifestyle audit in that period: zero.
Either the SAPS senior echelon is the most virtuous cohort in the public service, or the process designed to catch dishonesty is broken. The evidence now pouring out of the Madlanga Commission leaves little doubt as to which it is.
The figures come from Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia's late June replies to parliamentary questions from DA MP Lisa Schickerling, and they deserve far more attention than they received.
Lifestyle audits are not new. Their foundation lies in the Public Service Regulations of 2016, which oblige designated officials to disclose their financial interests annually.
