Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned against corruption at all levels of government, saying people were tired of corruption.
He said the people did not want officials and councillors in municipalities who were going to steal money from them.
Ramaphosa, who was addressing Freedom Day celebrations in Middelburg in Mpumalanga on Wednesday, said they wanted leaders to stop pillaging public resources.
The funds were earmarked for services to the communities and not the pockets of officials.
He said the country was not in a state where it wanted to be, but a lot of progress had been made over the years. There were still challenges along the way, including crime, corruption and gender-based violence.
Ramaphosa said corruption was still a serious challenge in local, provincial and national spheres of government.
“As government at local, provincial and national level, we must consolidate our efforts to deliver on our promises to the people of South Africa by managing public resources properly and wisely and by taking a firm stand and line against corruption. Our people are tired of corruption.
“They want municipalities that are going to work for them. They want municipalities that will provide good services. They want leaders who are not going to steal their money. They want leaders who will deploy public resources to provide good services,” said Ramaphosa.
He also reiterated that one of the challenges the country was facing was gender-based violence.
He said acting premier Thandi Shongwe had spoken eloquently about the need to end GBV.
Ramaphosa said gender-based violence and femicide had to end.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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