OWN CORRESPONDENTS, Johannesburg | Thursday
CORRUPTION in South Africa has reached “epidemic” proportions, demanding hard-hitting laws and a more ethical environment, say business and political leaders.
Addressing a two-day Anti-Corruption Conference for national and provincial Public Works Department officials, National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka said the urgency of addressing the problem and creating mechanisms to combat it “could not be underestimated”.
“Corruption has a debilitating and widespread effect on development and business ethics. Corruption and fraud subvert the natural order – decisions are no longer qualitative,” said Advocate Petrus Marais, national managing partner of KPMG.
Business Against Crime national director Allan McKenzie said: “Corruption by and between individuals in the public and private sectors has the potential to undermine good governance and wealth creation.”
Ending corruption formed part of the long-term process to transform government and South Africa’s leaders were intent on running an honest and clean administration, Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau told delegates.
Public office bearers had to create an environment in which any person can report corruption and extortion without fear of victimisation, she said.
Ngcuka said amendments to make corruption laws affecting government officials more hard-hitting were recently tabled with the justice portfolio committee in Parliament.
“South Africa’s legislation needs to be reviewed. We are in favour of the Hong Kong law – the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance,” he said.
In terms of the Hong Kong law, public officials in Hong Kong who exhibit a lifestyle above their official means are prosecuted unless they can prove they possessed this wealth legitimately.
Ngcuka said the Public Works Department was the most corrupt in government, but several measures had been taken to change this.
Marais warned that a corrupt government and business environment became self-perpetuating, as honest participants finding themselves excluded from the game adopted the “if you can’t beat them, join them” maxim.
McKenzie noted a recent survey had found that 79% of civil servants in South Africa felt the civil service was corrupt and only 30% thought enough was being done about it. He said continued public private sector corruption could derail the commendable efforts of national government to create wealth.