Citizen's Special Report

19 CITIZEN’S REPORT I O ON THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT’S COVID-19 INITIATIVES WAYS FOR CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY When government spending is irregular, unauthorised or fruitless and wasteful, it is citizens’ tax money that is being misused. If you – as a taxpaying citizen of South Africa – are unhappy with the way any government department or public entity is spending public funds, you have the right and the power to speak up and demand accountability to ensure that public funds are utilised responsibly. Here are a few suggestions about what you can do: Attend and ask questions during Parliament’s public meetings such as Taking Parliament to the People (TPTTP). TPTTP is run by the National Council of Provinces and is held in a different province every year. It includes public meetings where citizens can talk about their experiences of government service delivery and related matters. Get involved in provincial legislature meetings where discussions on provincial strategic plans, annual performance plans, budgets and annual reports take place. Write petition letters requesting the legislature in your province to ensure that the provincial departments spend public money properly and that action is taken against those who do not. Each provincial legislature has a petitions office that receives and processes petition letters from members of the public. Participate at local government level by attending ward committee meetings. Participate in civil society or community-based organisations’ meetings. Participate in the integrated development plan consultation meetings in your region and engage with your municipality’s leadership on service delivery issues and infrastructure developments and service delivery plans for your ward.