As Johannesburg crumbles under years of political dysfunction and corruption, business has offered to help fix the city. Corruption Watch’s Janine Erasmus warns this must never become a substitute for accountability or an excuse for leaders to escape the consequences of their failures.
The integrity and honesty of a Prasa employee highlights the importance of people coming forward with knowledge of suspicious goings-on. Though they might not be aware of it, their knowledge could be a corruption red flag. In this case, a massive insurance fraud scheme was uncovered at the rail agency, thanks to that one person.
The handover of the final report of the state capture inquiry represents a critical step towards some sort of national reckoning, says Corruption Watch. It must, however, be followed by concrete processes that set in motion appropriate investigations by law enforcement agencies, and eventual accountability for those implicated.
A resident in Randburg. north-west of Johannesburg.
A resident of a Randburg suburb.
On Saturday 9 December – International Anti-Corruption Day – Corruption Watch will launch an innovative animated video that highlights how corruption affects us all and why it matters to hold our leaders to account. In satirical style, the video looks at how South Africa is run, who contributes to the public purse, and how state resources are allocated. The organisation is also hosting a talk-show-style event, with 702’s Gugu Mhlungu as host, which will focus on major corruption highlights during 2017 and their impact on all people living in South Africa.
Companies should place less emphasis on black economic empowerment points and more on funding civil society organisations fighting corruption in the country, said Magda Wierzycka‚ CEO of Sygnia Asset Management. “This is not about politics‚ this is about forces of good versus evil,” she added.
The SAPS has the skills, expertise, technology and other resources to effectively combat such crimes, but what it sorely lacks is effective leadership. Addressing this shortcoming must include developing a clear set of criteria to ensure the right person is chosen for the most powerful position in the SAPS.