Corruption fears as new councillors escape obligatory way of life audits

Thousands of councillors might be elected in November to supervise municipal funds and repair supply, however they are going to enter workplace with out present process obligatory way of life audits, with laws for the long-promised system solely anticipated to be finalised by the tip of the 2028/29 monetary 12 months.

The growth comes as political events gear up for the November 4 native authorities elections, whereas the federal government remains to be working to convey way of life audits to municipal councils.

Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi mentioned the laws wouldn’t be prepared for councillors elected after the native authorities elections.

“The regulations required for mandatory lifestyle audits will not be in place for councillors elected after the local government elections,” he mentioned, responding to a parliamentary query from DA MP Eleanore Spies.

The absence of obligatory way of life audits comes as municipalities proceed to face challenges round governance, monetary administration and accountability, elevating questions concerning the stage of scrutiny councillors will face once they take workplace.

Why aren’t councillors lined?

Buthelezi mentioned the present authorized framework doesn’t present for obligatory way of life audits for municipal councillors.

“The PAMA (Public Administration Management Act) is not applicable to municipal councillors,” he mentioned.

He additionally pointed to the Local Government Municipal Structures Act, which governs the conduct of councillors.

“The Local Government Municipal Structures Act does not prescribe that councillors must undergo lifestyle audits.” 

He mentioned the Act didn’t fall underneath the mandate of the Public Service and Administration Minister, however the authorities was working to handle the hole by way of present disclosure necessities and proposed modifications to the native authorities framework.

“The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (DCoG) is currently addressing this shortcoming by means of its Code of Conduct for Councillors (through the Disclosure of Interests and the Declaration of Interests) and in its revised White Paper on Local Government, that specifically addresses lifestyle audits for Councillors,” Buthelezi mentioned.

Regulations will not be prepared for brand new councils

The push to introduce way of life audits at native authorities stage has been underneath dialogue for greater than a 12 months.

In 2025, Cogata Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa mentioned the division was participating with the South African Local Government Association and the Public Service and Administration Department to introduce way of life audits in municipalities.

He acknowledged gaps in authorities’s data on compliance with present monetary disclosure necessities.

“The department does not possess information that identifies municipalities that have enforced asset disclosures in each of the past five financial years,” Hlabisa mentioned.

The authorities has since established a activity crew involving the Public Service and Administration Department, Cogta and SALGA to work on ethics administration, self-discipline administration and way of life audits.

Buthelezi mentioned the lifestyle-audit workstream had begun drafting the laws.

“The primary objective of this collaboration is to develop appropriate regulations under the Public Administration Management Act with the Lifestyle Audit Regulations identified as the first priority,” he mentioned.

However, the method won’t be accomplished in time for the November elections.

“It is envisaged that the consultation, approval and finalisation process for the Lifestyle Audit Regulations will be completed by the end of the 2028/29 financial year.” 

This means councillors elected in November may spend a good portion of their phrases in workplace earlier than obligatory way of life audits grow to be a requirement.

Analysts warn of accountability hole

For political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the absence of obligatory way of life audits is regarding, given the extent of corruption and wrongdoing within the nation.

“It’s very disappointing. Lifestyle audits are necessary in a country where corruption and wrongdoing are widespread.” 

He mentioned way of life audits may assist uncover corruption whereas additionally deterring public officers from wrongdoing.

Ndlovu mentioned the prevailing disclosure necessities have been clearly not sufficient to stop corruption at native authorities stage, “as a result of councilors proceed to get away with wrongdoing and corruption. More is required.”

He argued that lifestyle audits should apply to all public officials, particularly at local government level.

“Lifestyle audits are necessary for all public officials. At local government level, officials appear brazen, and wrongdoing is done with impunity,” Ndlovu said.

He also placed responsibility on political parties, arguing they needed to do more to vet and discipline councillors accused of corruption.

“Unfortunately, political parties are complicit because they do not do enough to punish corrupt councillors. Instead, political parties keep recycling these corrupt councillors,” he said.

He described the system as broken and said voters also had a role to play in holding representatives accountable.

“In short, voters are a weak link,” Ndlovu said.

Political analyst Professor Theo Neethling, a research fellow in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State, said the government’s position appeared to be driven by regulation and timing rather than a lack of commitment to lifestyle audits.

He said the regulations were still being developed and could not be implemented when the new councils assumed office.

This created an accountability gap because existing disclosure and conflict-of-interest requirements did not provide the same level of scrutiny as a full lifestyle audit.

“The delay is justifiable from a regulatory standpoint, but it does not eliminate the necessity for thorough examination of new councillors,” he said.

Parties face greater responsibility

Neethling said the delay placed greater responsibility on political parties to scrutinise the candidates they put forward for election.

Parties should not regard formal eligibility to stand for election as sufficient, but should conduct their own assessments of candidates’ financial interests, possible conflicts of interest, qualifications and past conduct.

“If a party selects a councillor who later gets involved in corruption or conflicts of interest, it is reasonable to question whether the party properly screened that person prior to the nomination,” Neethling said.

He said the absence of compulsory lifestyle audits should be viewed as a temporary regulatory gap rather than an opportunity for lower standards.

Neethling said political parties could demonstrate their commitment to transparent local government by voluntarily introducing stricter vetting procedures for candidates.

“The IEC sets the basic legal criteria for candidates; political parties ought to uphold a much greater ethical benchmark,” he said.

Neethling said the credibility of the councils elected in November would ultimately depend not only on which parties won, but on the integrity and competence of the people they selected to represent voters.

What happens until then?

Councillors are not currently without financial disclosure obligations.

The existing Code of Conduct requires councillors to declare their financial interests, including relevant property and other interests.

However, a declaration of interests is not the same as a lifestyle audit.

A declaration requires an elected representative to disclose specified interests, while a lifestyle audit is intended to scrutinise whether an official’s declared income and interests are consistent with their assets and lifestyle.

The government is therefore working towards adding another layer of scrutiny at municipal level.

But for the councillors elected on November 4, that additional scrutiny will not be in place when they take office.

Until the regulations are completed, they will remain subject to the existing disclosure and conflict-of-interest requirements.

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