Parliament, Tuesday, 17 November 2020 –
Programme Director,
Mrs Makwetu and the Makwetu family,
Deputy Auditor-General and the Auditor-General family,
Members of Parliament,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Heads of Chapter Nine Institutions,
Fellow mourners.
Jabu Hlongwane and Sipho Makhabane, in one of my favorite choruses, remind us that:
“There is a race I must run,
And there are victories to be won,
Lord, give me power every hour
To be true.”
Today the weight of grief sits heavily on our shoulders, but more so the weight of patriotism. Today we mourn the passing of a patriot.
It is most humbling to be granted an opportunity to pay tribute to a man I respected and admired; and had the privilege of working with.
Once in a while amongst us, men and women of integrity emerge to respond to the call of national duty, swayed by the convictions of patriotism. In these men and women, we find honesty, integrity and the conscience of the nation.
Mr Thembekile Kimi Makwetu was one of these rare human beings.
Mr Makwetu was a North Star for good governance. He did justice to the trust placed in him to head a Chapter Nine institution; and whilst his term of office was coming to an end, more was still expected of him. He had more still to offer. Therefore, being here today, gathered in this fashion, is not what we had all expected. This is not the farewell we envisaged. Being here today is untimely.
As we mourn the passing of our AG and celebrate his life, he leaves us with a serious challenge in that in his lifetime he always spoke truth to power. He never sanitised the facts. He was frank. He was a voice of reason. He was a moral compass.
Did his auditees listen to him?
Did his auditees hear him?
Did his auditees do justice to his work?
To each of these questions, the sad answer is “No”.
His warnings, advice and guidance fell on deaf ears. Corruption persisted and maladministration thrived. Good governance has been fast-eroding, despite his countless warnings. Instead of being heeded, the AG and his team were intimidated and threatened. Yet, true to form and notwithstanding the grave risks, the AG never backed down; he forged ahead.
In the era of state capture, the AG was often a lone voice warning us about the direction the country was taking. The rest is history. It is testament to Mr Makwetu’s leadership that when so many state institutions were gripped in the clutches of state capture, the AG’s Office was spared because the AG was as man of principle.
Mr Makwetu did not just lament or narrate the problem. He pioneered amendments to the Public Audit Act. The expanded mandate of this Act is his legacy.
Mr Makwetu initiated and drove the amendment process of the Act to effect public sector consequence management. He made sure that the public and state officials understand that the amendments to the Act were mandating the AG to refer material irregularities to relevant public bodies for further investigation; to take binding remedial action for failure to implement the AG’s recommendations for material irregularities; and to issue a certificate of debt for failure to implement the remedial action if financial loss was involved.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts, as a committee that considers all public financial statements and audit reports, has especially appreciated the role the AG has played in ensuring these amendments to the Act.
Under the stewardship of Mr Makwetu, the Office of the AG has always been readily available to respond to questions and assist Scopa whenever it is requested to do so. This relationship between Scopa and the Office of the AG is a testament to the dedication of its leader for the betterment of South Africa. The AG enabled Scopa’s oversight by proactively providing information, highlighting governance issues in the public sector, and assisting Parliament to conduct oversight over government to ensure that the nation is on the right path towards good governance.
Faced with ill health, it would have been easy for Mr Makwetu to call it quits. But true to form, he kept going. He died like a soldier with his boots on, because he knew that our country was at war, at war with corruption, and like a soldier he chose to fight. He was busy with real time audits, not shaken by ill heath nor the fact that his tenure as AG was coming to an end.
Reflecting on this depth of commitment I was reminded of the words of Dr Benjamin E. Mays who, as if speaking about Mr Makwetu, wrote –
“I only have just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, can’t refuse it.
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.
But it’s up to me
to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
but eternity is in it.”
Mr Makwetu’s urgency, agency, resolve and dedication to his work underscored the seriousness of the challenges before us. Wanting to do his fair share, he worked as hard as he did because he knew that the country is in dire straits.
Therefore, in honour of this great son of our land, we must emulate his example and do justice to the trust placed in all of us individually and collectively in the respective roles of public service we hold.
Mr Makwetu may be no more, but his work is still here. We can therefore still listen to him, because the voices of great men never die; they echo in eternity.
As we look to the future, we do so with hope because Mr Makwetu has built up the AG’s Office as an institution with women and men who are competent and equal to what lies ahead.
The Deputy AG, Ms Tsakani Maluleke, who is the AG designate, can rest assured of the same support we gave to Mr Makwetu. We thank her for being a trusted deputy to Mr Makwetu.
During this difficult time of bereavement, our prayers have mostly been for Mrs Makwetu and her family. On behalf of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I wish to extend our deepest and most sincere condolences. Thank you for sharing your husband and father with us, even during his most difficult times. He achieved all that he did for South Africa because of your enduring love and support.
Mr Makwetu's outstanding contribution as a custodian of the Constitution and a true ambassador for good governance and financial controls will forever be remembered. We owe a great debt of gratitude to him. South Africa has lost a tireless leader and a person of great integrity.
In conclusion, a few weeks ago, Mr Makwetu appeared before Scopa and, in paying tribute to him for his service and wishing him well for the future, I said to him quoting an Irish blessing–
“May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall softly on your fields,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand!”
In life and in death these words are apt.
AG, all you have ever been is a patriot! Rest in God’s perfect peace!
God bless you! God bless South Africa!
I thank you!
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF SCOPA, MR MKHULEKO HLENGWA.
For media enquiries, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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