Durban - A stern warning has been given to municipal officials at the South African Local Government Association (Salga) conference on Tuesday.
"Those who are involved or intend to get involved in corrupt practices, be warned that it is not worth your while because you will be caught!" said Acting Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Nathi Mthethwa.
Mthethwa, also the Minister of Police, said South Africa needs to decisively deal with corruption without fear or favour.
"Corruption is an ill that has to be removed from our midst as it serves to deny citizens what they rightfully expect from government. The incoming leadership can start by declaring any interests you may be holding in business ventures," he said.
"Our law enforcement agencies have never been more determined to uproot this cancer from our society before it erodes everything we as a nation stand for," added Mthethwa.
Referring to the Municipal Systems Amendment Act 2011, the minister said it sends a clear signal that municipalities must and will be more professional in the manner in which they do their business.
Mthethwa called for competent and well qualified officials to be appointed to provide the best possible service to the people.
"We have new leadership. Expectations on service delivery are very high, and as the sphere of government that is closest to our communities, we need to approach this responsibility with a renewed sense of urgency," he said.
Delegates were reminded of a government initiative, Operation Clean Audit 2014, which strives for clean audits in municipalities and provincial government departments by 2014.
Mthethwa said all 278 municipalities must establish Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs), in order to achieve the clean audit objective and promote good governance in municipalities.
Two weeks ago, CoGTA and national Treasury - in consultation with SALGA - jointly issued the final guideline for the establishment of MPACs.
The local government sector has also been asked to find a way to better manage and regulate the conduct of members of municipal unions during strike action.
"While we respect the fundamental rights of the workers to embark on protected industrial action, however, in no way do we condone the destruction of property, intimidation and attacks on individuals.
"Those are simple criminal acts, and people who are involved in these criminal activities must expect to meet with the full might of the law.
"The impasse we have observed developing in the negotiations is also of concern because the time spent in the bargaining chamber means time away from servicing our communities," Mthethwa said.
The success of municipalities in delivering on their mandate will be tested more as South Africa approaches the 5th democratic national and provincial elections in 2014.
"Salga is but one cog in the inter-governmental machinery that has been specifically designed to enable government to deliver a better life to all South Africans," said Mthethwa.
