Home

SIU to intensify fight against corruption

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has identified 15 vulnerable sectors, including health and construction, where they’ve launched investigations into corruption.

The SIU hosted a stakeholders forum in Cape Town attended by representatives from government, the NPA, the Hawks and civil society.

Head of the unit Advocate Andy Mothibi says they’ve recovered R4 billion in maladministration and corruption in state institutions over the past financial year.

Mothibi says they will intensify corruption and fraud prevention through public education campaigns. He says they will continue to monitor and evaluate the impact of the SIU objectives in dealing with the cases.

“We would like to improve the quality and turn around times of investigation. Part of the observations we have acknowledge and accepted that it is a challenge, because it borders around reputational risk. If we take too long to investigate then we are defeating the purpose. But we do not want to compromise the quality of the investigation, but would like to make sure it’s as quickly as possible so that we make the impact.”

Western Cape premier Helen Zille says only a clean and uncorrupt state will be able to grow the economy and create jobs. Zille says in a democracy voters should be able to hold those in power accountable.

She says while there’s a need for reparations and redress after Apartheid, it needs to be done in a way that empowers the poor.

“That is what corruption does. It enriches the small elite and impoverishes everybody else. But it’s defended because now suddenly it is BBBEE anyone who exposes it or opposes it is by definition obviously a racist.”

Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says there’s a need for a united effort against corruption. She says corruption undermines social justice.

“But right now we riding the crest of hope, because we are seeing that accountability has dawned in this country. But having said that, we haven’t seen the end of it yet. We subject state capture we didn’t end it, we also overcame Bell Potinger that sought to divide and divert our attention from wrongdoing. But impunity is not gone and the SIU says count me in Thuma Mina.”

Madonsela has also called for the protection of whistle-blowers in the ongoing fight against corruption.

 

WATCH RELATED VIDEO BELOW:

Author

MOST READ