N5 – Module 2 Accountability
Each political representative should give full account of his/her activities. If not, they can easily misuse and corrupt the utilisation of public funds (taxpayers’ money). However officials in a dictatorship are oſten even more accountable, but directly to higher authorities, i.e. to the dictator. In a democracy officials and representatives are called upon to be accountable for the efficient and effective use of public funds. Aristotle’s idea of accountability was that all transactions and accounts thereof should be published, copies given to citizens, and also posted in the city square for all to see.
Case Study: Black Tuesday At the time of writing (November 2011) the government is in the process of enacting the controversial Protection of Information Bill. It allows for the state to classify certain information “in the interests of national security” and anyone publishing the information could face a 25-year jail sentence. Unsurprisingly, opposition parties, trade unions and various interest groups have been up in arms over the new bill.
Te cartoon represents Black Tuesday, the day the bill was voted for in Parliament. Seen in the picture is president Zuma blacking out democracy.
Most modern democracies demand this too and there is therefore a distinction between accountability (which can be to a higher authority only and not necessarily to the public) and public accountability which is public and open publication of all financial transactions and activities so that the voter-cum-taxpayer is fully informed.
It is therefore possible for a government and its officials to be accountable without being publicly accountable. It is important to note that most countries demand that officials such as the Director- General or Accounting Officer, and the minister may not claim ignorance and must at all times remain accountable for all actions taken by others underneath them.
Te Accounting Officer – oſten also called the Director-General (plural: directors-general) of a department is responsible for giving full account to their minister. In some countries they are called upon to give account directly to the legislative authority (Module 3) which is Parliament itself. Even when such officials are accountable directly to Te Legislature, it is also important that the Legislature itself – Parliament – should then be fully accountable to the people. Tis means that they are required to give full account in public of all financial activities to the taxpayers-cum-voters, including occurrences of financial mismanagement and corruption.
Accountability as a Responsibility Political representatives and public officials must give full account to the taxpayers of the way in which taxes and other public funds have been collected, kept in safe keeping and spent (utilised). For public officials to be accountable they need to go about their tasks responsibly; their conduct should be above suspicion and their character above reproach so they can be trusted. Tis responsibility towards the voter-cum-taxpayer is expressed when the representative or public official is transparent and accountable to the public.
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