President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday promised to clamp down on public officials who were doing business with the state.

"We will not tolerate or condone the abuse of public trust and public resources by any public official," Zuma said in reply to a question in the National Assembly.

"Where wrongdoing is found to have been committed, they must take necessary corrective steps, including taking disciplinary measures against the officials concerned."

Zuma was answering a question on a report by the Auditor General on government employees who had received millions of rands from state contracts without approval.

He said he had asked Minister for Public Service and Administration Richard Baloyi to "expedite" a Conflict of Interest Framework and to send it to Cabinet in the next few weeks.

"The Conflict of Interest Framework is meant to plug existing holes in public service regulations," Zuma said,

"Among other things, this should ensure that some of the problems raised by the Auditor General can be prevented in future." -- Sapa

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Mail and Guardian.