PRETORIA, Gauteng — The civil society organization OUTA (Undoing Tax Abuse) is demanding that Parliament enforce strict accountability and systemic reform following recent findings of governance failures within the South African Police Service (SAPS). OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage warned that lawmakers must reject political “window dressing” and instead pursue rigorous oversight measures to restore public trust in the legislative process.
Speaking on the recently presented draft deliberation guide by the parliamentary ad hoc committee, Duvenage clarified that the document is merely a preliminary step and not a final report. He acknowledged the committee’s stated limitation that it cannot pronounce on criminality, noting that such determinations are strictly the jurisdiction of the courts. However, he criticized the measured, “low-key” approach of parliamentarians, describing the proceedings as a political “talkshop” rather than a rigorous investigative process.
Duvenage argued that Members of Parliament have been “very soft” on the executive branch. He urged lawmakers to leverage this moment to demand concrete actions, including comprehensive lifestyle audits and institutional reforms. He pointed to the existing national anti-corruption strategy, questioning why the presidency has delayed its implementation, particularly concerning critical solutions like whistleblower management and the independence of oversight bodies.
The OUTA CEO highlighted that these governance failures are symptomatic of flawed oversight mechanisms across government institutions. He warned that excessive power remains vested in politicians who make key appointments, leading to conflicts of interest between boards and executives in state-owned entities and other sectors, with insufficient scrutiny of reports coming from civil society.
Shifting focus to where real accountability might emerge, Duvenage stated that OUTA is paying far more attention to the ongoing work of the Madlanga Commission. He suggested that the substantive outcomes of the Madlanga Commission hold more promise for meaningful reform than the “theatrics” observed in the ad hoc committee’s deliberations.
When questioned about the potential for further reputational harm to Parliament, Duvenage drew direct parallels to past legislative failures. He referenced the Constitutional Court’s findings during the Nkandla matter in the Zuma era, where Parliament was deemed to have failed in holding the executive accountable over issues like the infamous “swimming pools.” He also noted the sixth parliament’s shortcomings in holding President Cyril Ramaphosa to account regarding the handling of the December political task team matter.
Duvenage concluded with a stark warning: if Parliament continues to issue lightweight recommendations and remains circumspect on executive conduct, it will only exacerbate the existing lack of public trust. He stressed that lawmakers have a critical opportunity to restore faith in their constitutional mandate by demanding failsafe institutions and robust law reform, rather than settling for superficial political maneuvering.
