Councillors and senior municipal employees of Makana municipality released their declaration of interests on 3 February.
Councillors and senior municipal employees of Makana municipality released their declaration of interests on 3 February.
This declaration details financial interests and any business interests that they or a close family member may have.
The declaration was released after a request from the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM).
PSAM work for social accountability by researching and monitoring various arms of government and public officials, and sharing their findings with the public.
Thabani Mdlongwa, Local Government Researcher for PSAM, oversaw the request.
“They are supposed to detail their financial interests. They are legally bound to do so,” he said.
Regarding the contents of the declaration, Mdlongwa said that they didn’t see anything alarming.
“Everyone who should have declared interests, did so. Everything is in order,” he said.
PSAM is keeping their eye on some of the information, however, as there may be conflict of interest for several parties concerned.
Releasing the declaration is required by law.
It ensures that there is no conflict of interest for the people concerned and makes for a situation in which tenders are competed for in an open manner.
On 17 December 2013 PSAM made a request for the declaration in accordance with the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
After not receiving a response within the 30-day time limit, PSAM filed an internal appeal, and were notified on 4 February that the information was available.
Mdlongwa had received the report the day before, after he walked to the Municipal offices and asked for it.
PSAM would like to see the initiative taken by government departments to publicise the information themselves, without having to be asked for it.
“We commend them for releasing the information,” said Mdlongwa.
“It’s good to have this out in the open, but we would like to see them put it on their website. They are encouraged to be transparent and to do this more often.”
If citizens would like to look at the declaration of interests, they can find them online at grocotts.co.za.
