…as he outlines his vision for his ministry
…says it is time for accountability
Mohloai Mpesi
Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police Principal Secretary, Mpopo Tšoele, says it is time for officials within his ministry to be held accountable for failing to deliver on their mandates.
Mr Tšoele told the Portfolio Committee on the Law and Public Safety Cluster this week that he intends to require every head of department to present clear plans on how they will utilise their allocated budgets.
He stressed that he would not appear before Parliament to answer for officials who divert funds from their intended purposes.
“It is time for accountability,” he said, adding that all heads of department will be required to sign performance management contracts outlining how budgets will be used, and will be held responsible if they fail to deliver.
Mr Tšoele appeared before the committee alongside Director of Passports Mpiko Rafono, Commissioner of Lands ’Makhosi Moremi, Acting Director of Immigration Bertha Piletso and Police Commissioner Advocate Borotho Matsoso, among others.
He challenged departmental heads to present their plans before Parliament, describing the process as a “public contract”.
“I have learned since arriving at the ministry that civil servants are working and are capable. Parliament allocates budgets and salaries without fail, but the remaining challenge is the absence of accountability,” Mr Tšoele said.
He said accountability ultimately rested with both the Principal Secretary (PS) and the Minister, adding that the Public Service Act mandates the PS to provide direction within a ministry.
“The Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) requires that public funds must be properly accounted for. Money should not be released without clear evidence of how it will be used.”
Mr Tšoele warned that he would be blamed for the ministry’s failures, even when officials tasked with implementation do not deliver. He would thus fight to ensure they were all accountable.
He added that no funds would be disbursed to departments whose heads have not signed performance contracts.
“The biggest change will come when we hold each other accountable,” he said.
He also pointed to inefficiencies in service delivery, particularly at district level, where District Administrators (DAs) are expected to coordinate government services.
“We will institutionalise a public performance management system in this ministry. If the ministry fails, the blame should rest with the PS,” he said.
Mr Tšoele cited an example of a delayed bus terminal project in Thaba-Tseka, questioning why resources should be allocated to officials who cannot account for projects under their supervision.
“No one will speak on behalf of another. Every head must account for their work. If you cannot, then we should part ways,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Rafono said the ministry’s M142 million budget—up from M127 million in the previous financial year—would significantly improve service delivery, particularly in passport production.
He said M44 million had been allocated specifically for passports, which is expected to eliminate the backlog of 51 000 applications.
“This year, processing will take about six weeks,” Mr Rafono said.
Mr Rafono added that the department plans to procure additional printers to speed up production and introduce an online system for applicants to track the status of their passports.
“Basotho will no longer need to queue at offices to check application status. They will be able to access that information online,” he said.
He also expressed optimism that improved efficiency would reduce corruption within the department.
“Corruption has partly been driven by delays and stringent requirements. As services improve and passports become readily available, those opportunities will diminish,” he said.
For his part, Chair of Chairs, Mokhothu Makhalanyane, urged Mr Tšoele to ensure that financial statements were prepared on time to enable the Auditor-General to conduct timely audits.
“Section 34 of the PFMA requires ministers to submit financial reports within four months after the end of the fiscal year. This is not happening,” Mr Makhalanyane said.
He warned that delays in financial reporting undermined oversight and budget planning.
“We want this to be the last year where ministries lag behind. Future budget allocations should be informed by up-to-date audit reports,” he said.
Mr Makhalanyane added that failure to account for public funds should have consequences.
“That is how the budget process should work. What we have seen instead is a politicised approach, which undermines good governance,” he said.
