Kingdom Mabuza

Kingdom Mabuza

Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has blamed police officers, teachers, priests and councillors for some of the corruption in her department.

Speaking during a session of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Sebokeng in the Vaal yesterday, Mapisa-Nqakula, pictured, said:

"We accept as a department that we have our own shortcomings and there are problems of corruption.

"But corruption starts with community leaders, teachers, priests, police and councillors who falsely sign documents claiming they know an applicant."

She said that when the department investigated, it emerged that the person who they had been told was born and raised in a particular community was in fact a foreigner.

"These leaders are prepared to forge documents because they are given bribes," Mapisa-Nqakula said.

She said the department and provincial leaders had visited about 60 schools in Gauteng to register pupils who would be issued with identity documents when they completed their schooling.

"When they complete schooling they will have their IDs. We cannot speak about fighting poverty without our people having IDs," she said.

Members of the community. who were allowed to ask questions. complained about poverty, lack of service delivery and crime.

The deputy minister of public works, Ntopile Kganyago, told the community to be self-sufficient and initiate projects that would help them.

"I used to think of a person who picks up papers as mentally disturbed. But picking up papers for recycling is a career that can help people buy themselves cars and build houses," he said.