Radebe launches anti-corruption campaign

The Witness reports Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster convener and Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe said this during the launch of the campaign yesterday. 'My office had been inundated with requests for intervention at the Master's Office here in Pietermaritzburg,' the Minister said. 'We have a list of cases, some finalised and some pending, on matters of corruption and abuse of power against ordinary employees by their supervisors or managers.' His deputy, Andries Nel, confirmed there were corruption-related complaints received from the Master's Office. Radebe continued: 'Our presence here in Pietermaritzburg demonstrates our seriousness on the declaration that the days of those living on the proceeds of crime and corruption are over. Those responsible will surely land in jail as we have the means, capacity and the will to ensure that this is done.' According to the report, Radebe also announced the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Task Team 'to monitor the investigation and prosecution of all cases of corruption identified as high priority'. Full report in The Witness (subscription needed)

Radebe added the names of corrupt officials and businesses will be published to stop repeat offending. According to a Beeld report, Radebe noted there was already a register for paedophiles and 'such a measure is a strong deterrent'. Full Beeld report

More than 13 800 officials have been convicted of fraud and corruption involving social grants and R67.8m is being recovered. Business Day reports that these figures were disclosed by KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize. He said 1 545 cases involving R856.8m had been registered at the police's Commercial Crime Unit from April last year to August this year, all involving provincial government employees. Of the cases opened, 1 422 to the value of R74.7m were referred to court for prosecution. To date, the courts had posted 1 282 convictions involving R30.4m. In KZN, 406 officials were disciplined for corruption involving housing subsidies, and 149 are still under investigation after 34S cases were referred to the police. Full Business Day report

How corruption keeps the political wheels turning is the main focus of today's Legalbrief Forensic. A report in our companion product notes political funding and its link to corruption has come in for a roasting from two prominent commentators. Business Day editor Peter Bruce argues that all political corruption begins and ends with party funding. Referring to the purchase of part of a coal mine by 'the ANC's in-house bank, Chancellor House', Bruce says this deal, in which the mine is expected to be able to supply Eskom, is no different from the one in which Chancellor House bought a stake in a Hitachi subsidiary just before it landed a R30bn Eskom contract. 'That was corrupt and so is this.' Paul Hoffman SC, director of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, says there is a case to be made that Chancellor House should be liquidated and its assets forfeited to the state if, as seems to be the case, the ANC's investment arm is being used as a vehicle for collusion, corruption, conflicts of interest and other illegal activities. This and other issues are tackled in the latest issue of Legalbrief Forensic, which is delivered every Thursday morning. To stay in touch with issues relating to fraud, corruption, governance, cybercrime, transparency, risk management etc in SA, to register for a free two-week trial subscription to Legalbrief Forensic.