The National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, launched a multi-sectoral anti-corruption task team for the Eastern Cape at a ceremony in East London on Thursday.
The team is being deployed in the province at the directive of President Thabo Mbeki.
Its 60 members have been drawn from all law enforcement agencies, including the SA Police Service, the Directorate of Special Investigations (also known as the Scorpions), intelligence agencies, the Auditor General’s office and the National Prosecutions Authority.
Specialist prosecutors from the recently established Special Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria will also assist with the running of a special Eastern Cape anti-corruption court which has been established in King William’s Town.
”With the various sectors of the criminal justice system now fine-tuned to work together, cases will be fast-tracked to go to court without any unnecessary delay and be processed,” Ngcuka said.
”We need to ensure that justice is seen to be done.”
Ngcuka said the task team had, as its prime objective, the eradication of corruption in the Eastern Cape government and it was already in possession more than 200 dockets.
The Auditor-General issued a R16,6-billion disclaimer last year with regard to the government in Bisho while the province’s budget was just R14,9-billion.
”In financial terms it is difficult to put a figure to what is involved but judging by the Auditor General’s disclaimer, it’s clear that we must succeed in stamping out corruption. The consequences of failing are simply to dire to contemplate,” Ngcuka said. – Sapa