Elite crime-fighting agency needed – ANC

More than a decade after elite crime-fighting unit the Scorpions was disbanded by the ANC, the party has called on the government to establish a new permanent multi-disciplinary agency to deal with corruption. A Business Day report says the ANC’s latest decision, announced in a statement following a meeting of the national executive committee (NEC), comes amid public outrage over corruption relating to the relief funds made available to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. ‘The NEC called upon the ANC-led government (to) urgently establish a permanent multi-disciplinary agency to deal with all cases of white-collar crime, organised crime and corruption,’ the ANC statement said. Business Day says it understands from well-placed sources within the party that Justice & Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola raised the matter in the meeting. One senior member said Lamola mentioned the Scorpions in his proposal, but said it did not have to have that same name. The understanding was, however, that the structure could be similar to the Scorpions, which was prosecution-led in nature. Last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa established a new investigating directorate under the leadership of Advocate Hermione Cronje to probe crimes related to state capture, among others. The report notes the directorate relies heavily on assistance from the Hawks and other bodies. The Scorpions had a permanent team, which eliminated the different silos the law enforcement agencies worked in. ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said details about the structure of the new body would be left to law enforcement agencies, specifically the government’s justice cluster, to decide.