The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly condemns the ANC-led Mpumalanga Provincial Government’s refusal to conduct lifestyle audits on senior government officials—this as allegations of widespread corruption escalate, with six out of ten Heads of Departments (HODs) in the province currently under investigation, suspended, or implicated in financial misconduct.

In a sitting of the Mpumalanga Legislature on Friday, the DA introduced a motion calling for urgent lifestyle audits on:

• All HODs and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)
• The Secretary of the Legislature
• Senior procurement officials
• Executives in provincial parastatals
• Senior managers in both the provincial government and municipalities

This call was prompted by the ongoing investigations involving HODs from the departments of:

• Education
• Sports, Culture and Recreation
• Agriculture
• Public Works
• Safety and Security
• Human Settlements

Despite the severity of the allegations, the ANC majority in the Legislature chose to racialise the debate, claiming that the call for accountability was rooted in colonialism and “white people not accepting that black people can be successful,” said Annerie Weber, MPL – DA Spokesperson on Education, Mpumalanga Province

This deflection is particularly disingenuous, given that the implicated officials are being investigated by the ANC’s own MECs—not the DA. Ironically, the EFF abstained from the vote, offering no support or opposition to the proposed anti-corruption measure.

The DA remains resolute in its fight against maladministration, corruption, and self-enrichment. The refusal to implement lifestyle audits exposes the ANC’s lack of political will to address corruption within its ranks.

The people of Mpumalanga deserve a transparent and accountable government. The DA will continue to push for reforms that protect public funds and restore integrity to our institutions.