Reports that the ANC had asked senior public servants such as directors general to donate money to the ANC, is extremely worrying and the FF Plus will be asking the Public Service Commission to investigate the matter, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on public service and administration says.
Adv. Alberts says it creates an untenable situation as public servants will all feel that a knife has been placed against their throats to donate funds or to fall in disfavour with the ANC government.
In a letter which is apparently in the possession of the Sunday Times and Beeld, directors general, who are the administrative heads of government departments, have been asked to donate approximately R3 700 to the ANC. The ANC’s secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, had, according to the reports, acknowledged the accuracy of the reports and said that he did not find anything wrong with the practice.
According to Adv. Alberts it is quite evident that public servants would be too scared to refuse to donate money to the ANC as those who do not make contributions would put their jobs in jeopardy.
“It also shows the arrogance and factual acknowledgement by government with regards to cadre deployment in the public service to assume that so many senior public servants are ANC members.
“The FF Plus will be submitting a complaint to the Public Service Commission in terms of the ethical code of the public service which requires that officials must be able to act independently and unbiased. The message which is carried out with this action is that they have to serve the ANC.
“This action dilutes the difference between the public service and the ANC and cannot be tolerated as the public service already has so many big problems with regards to service delivery.
“It is nothing other than subtle blackmail and we will be asking the Commission to make a finding about this matter as soon as possible,” Adv. Alberts says.
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