Former UK Cabinet Minister Peter Hain has expressed his disappointment after the British government lifted its three-year ban against global consultancy firm Bain and Company.
It had said that Bain and Company South Africa would remain excluded from bidding for UK Government procurements until January 2025.
The ban was imposed last year following strong lobbying by Hain after the Zondo Commission found that Bain and Company played a major role in state capture.
Hain says he will continue to highlight the company’s corrupt involvement in South Africa and, says his government should have increased the pressure on Bain.
“They continue to hound their former global partner Athol Williams the whistleblower and I cannot understand why the British government has stood on its head and reversed its decision. My view is no government should do any business with Bain until the prosecutions recommended by the Zondo commission, that the company actually is charged and brought before the courts for what Zondo called its unlawful behaviour. These companies have got to feel the heat, they should be held accountable for it and if they aren’t then they’ll do it again, if not in SA then somewhere else.”
Treasury blacklists Bain and Company for 10 years:
