President Jacob Zuma needs to step up the fight against corruption, the Council for the Advancement of the South Africa Constitution (Casac) said on Monday.
“Casac has noted the president’s affirmation of the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption in his address to media owners on [Friday],” Casac spokesperson Masutane Modjadji said in a statement.
“The recognition that corruption undermines the government’s ability to deliver on its mandate to the people of South Africa is a rallying call to steadfastly combat it.
“Whilst acknowledging the efforts that are being made to investigate and prosecute those engaging in these activities we believe that much more still needs to be done to turn the tide against this scourge,” said Modjadji.
Casac was “looking forward” to Zuma’s formal response to reports by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that accused national police chief General Bheki Cele and Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde of acting unlawfully in the signing of lease agreements with businessman Roux Shabangu.
The Democratic Alliance has brought criminal charges against the three and Public Works Director General Siviwe Dongwana, for failing to report them to the Treasury.
Modjadji said: “It is unfortunate that criminal charges relating to aspects of the report have been filed before the president has pronounced on the matter.”
Madonsela’s reports related to Shabangu’s lease agreements for police headquarters in both Durban and Pretoria. The Durban lease would have been worth R1.16-billion over 10 years, and that of the Middestad Building in Pretoria R604-million, over the same period.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that Zuma had accepted the Protector’s findings on the two leases and her recommendation of remedial action, but he has not yet taken any action. Zuma told journalists last week that he would submit a report on the matter to the Speaker of Parliament on Friday.
He came out strong on anti-corruption, listing several areas where government has made progress in “the fight against crime and corruption”.
- During the past financial year Zuma issued 18 proclamations authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to conduct investigations, mostly dealing with procurement-related irregularities. This is the highest number ever in the history of the SIU.
- In total, the SIU is investigating procurement contracts to the value of about R10-billion and conflict of interest involving officials estimated at R5-billion.
- The SIU is also working closely with the police department to investigate procurement irregularities in the building of 33 police stations, worth approximately R330-million.
- Probes are ongoing into irregularities in the national Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
- In KwaZulu-Natal, the anti-corruption task team, including the SIU, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, have identified land reform farms valued at more than R60-million that have been transferred unlawfully to private individuals.
- Farms valued at about R36-million have already been recovered for the state.
- The anti-corruption task team has also been working with the Department of Cooperative Governance to probe municipalities under the banner of Operation Clean Audit. A total of 362 cases were received for investigation. To date, 291 arrests have been made. Of that figure, 167 are public servants whilst 124 are members of the public and all have appeared in court. This effort has achieved 155 convictions, made up of 77 public servants and 78 members of the public. — Sapa and M&G reporter