Question NW756 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

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09 May 2016 - NW756

Profile picture: Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP

Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration

(1)(a)What are the questions that senior managers in the public service need to respond to when declaring their financial interests and (b) (i) how and (ii) by whom is the information stored in the declarations of financial interests shared; (2) has he found that the (a) information revealed by the current questions and (b) way in which the declared information is disclosed to others are effective measures to inform decision-makers of possible risks and to combat corruption at senior management level in the public service; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) is any of the information declared ever checked for completeness and accuracy; if not, why not; if so, (a) by whom and (b) have any steps been taken against staff members who submitted false or incomplete information; (4) what has been the overall compliance rate during the last cycle of submissions in each (a) national and (b) provincial departments?

Reply:

(1) Disclosure of financial interests by members of the senior management is regulated through the Financial Disclosure Framework (which is chapter 3 of the Public Service Regulations, 2001).

(a) Kindly see Tag A which outlines categories of financial disclosures and particulars which members of the senior management service should disclose (Regulations D and E).

(b) (i) The disclosure of financial interests could be done using a manual form (paper-based form) or electronically using the eDisclosure system.

(ii) The disclosure process is as follows:

  • (Disclosure of financial interests is made to the Executive Authority (Regulation C.1). The Executive Authority is the Minister of the National Department or MEC of a provincial department. Premiers are Executive Authorities for their respective departments.
  • The Executive Authority submits the copy of the financial disclosure form to the Public Service Commission (Regulation 0.4).
  • According to Regulation B(a) the Director-General: Office of the Public Service Commission keeps the register of designated employees' Interests.
  • Subject to regulation F.3 of the Financial Disclosure Framework, only the following persons have access to a submitted form or the register:

 (a) The executing authority to whom the form is submitted and the staff designated by the executing authority for purposes of record-keeping of the original form and submission of a copy of the form to the Commission;

(b) commissioners of the Commission;

(c) the Director-General: Office of the Public Service Commission; and

 (d) such other persons designated by an executing authority or the chairperson of the Commission for purposes of the effective implementation of the Financial Disclosure Framework.

2. The measures are found to be effective. The information is verified against Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) data base and Deeds Register to verify completeness of the information and determine if there is potential or actual conflict of interest. The information is further assessed in relation to the functions to be performed by the senior manager.

3. Submitted information is verified against the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) data base and Deeds Register to verify completeness of the information and determine if there is potential or actual conflict of interest. The verification of this information is done by the Public Service Commission which is an independent body. In future the information will also be verified against eNatis data base. If there is potential or actual conflict of interest, the information is discussed with the relevant SMS member and the report is given to the Executive Authority. The Executive Authority has to inform the Public Service Commission of the steps taken to remove conflict of interest.

4. This is the responsibility of Office of the Public Service Commission of which the Report thereof are submitted to Parliament.

TAG A: FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM

ANNEXURE A

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM

Personal details

Financial Year

 

Surname

 

First Names

 

ID Number

 

Persal Number

 

Current Position

 

Salary Level

 

Specialization/brief job description

 

Postal Address

 

Residential Address

 

Name of Department

 

Telephone Numbers (W)

 

Cell Numbers

 

E-mail address

 
  1. Shares and other financial interests

Number of shares/Extent of financial interests

Nature

Nominal Value

Name of Company/Entity

       
       
       
       
       
  1. Directorships and partnerships

Name of Corporate Entity or Partnership

Company Registration Number

Type of Business (e.g. Construction, Consultancy, etc)

Amount of Remuneration

       
       
       
       
       
  1. Remunerated work outside the public service

Must have been sanctioned by your Executive Authority and approval uploaded to the system or attached to the form.

Name of Employer

Type of Work

Remuneration

     
     
     
     
     
  1. Consultation and retainerships

Name of client

Nature

Type of business activity

Value of any benefits received

       
       
       
       
       
  1. Sponsorships

Source of assistance/ sponsorship

Description of assistance/ sponsorship

Value of assistance/ sponsorship

     
     
     
     
  1. Gifts and hospitality from a source other than a family member

Description

Value

Source

     
     
     
     
     
  1. Immovable property

Description (e.g.flat/ land/ house

Name of the Flats/ Townhouse/Estate

Suburb/Area

(e.g. Arcadia-Pretoria)

ERF number

Unit number

Value

           
           
           
           
           
  1. Vehicles

Description Vehicle (e.g. car/motorbike/boat/aircraft)

Registration number

Year Model

Purchase price

       
       
       
       
       

_____________________________________

SIGNATURE OF DESIGNATED EMPLOYEE

DATE: ________________________

PLACE: ________________________

Source file