... BLOW THE WHISTLE – SA STATE CAPTURE WHISTLEBLOWER

EZULWINI – Director of Executive Development Unit Wits School of Governance Professor Themba Maseko, has urged accountants and auditors not to be silence but blow the whistle.

The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) in South Africa was the guest speaker during the Eswatini Institute of Accountants (ESIA) 2024 Annual Dinner and Graduation ceremony held on Wednesday evening at the Happy Valley Hotel. Maseko was one of the earliest casualties of the State capture probe. Evidence at the Zondo Commission concluded that Zuma instructed then-Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane to remove Maseko in 2010.

Khumalo said one of the key challenges facing the planet has to do with the decline in the moral fibre in society, with leaders in both public and private sectors facing allegations and accusations of involvement in corruption. He said the decline in ethical behaviour is the key contributor to the scourge of corruption that is condemning millions of people to a life of poverty and hunger. Khumalo said accountants often come across information that could be detrimental to the health and future of the organisation or even a country.

Defence

He said in some of these instances, the information one discovers could expose illicit conduct of one’s boss, friend, leader or even a family member. He said professional accountants, need to understand that they are an important line of defence to protect one’s reputation, the integrity of the profession and society in general. He said he was pleased that ESIA is there to help to strengthen the profession by requiring compliance with the code of conduct and the ethics code in both the public and private sectors. “I hope tonight’s cohort of graduates will act with integrity in every aspect of their lives. Do not allow anyone to misinterpret the confidentiality clause in the Code of Ethics to mean you must hide the dirty line you linen you come across in your line of work,” said the professor.

Institute

“My primary message to you this evening is that, you as professional accountants, current and future members of the institute constitute an important line of defence in the face of the contextual decline of morale standards in both the public and private sectors. In you, the publics expect nothing but farness, transparency and that you will do the right thing all the time, with integrity. When you perform your duties professionally, ethically, without fear or favour, you are helping to build a pipeline of individuals who will promote and defend your profession, and help us to achieve the Africa we desire,” he said.

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