Address at the G20 Anti-Corruption Ministers Meeting, Kolkata, India by Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration, Dr Chana Pilane-Majake
Honourable Chairperson, allow me to join those who spoke before me and congratulate you on chairing the meeting of the G20 Ministers responsible for Anti-Corruption. Greetings to my counterparts from other G20 Countries and representatives of the International Organizations. All Protocols observed.
Chairperson, My delegation supports the collective efforts of this esteemed Working Group towards countering and fighting against corruption in our respective countries.
It is important to note that the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group under the leadership the current 2023 Presidency, India, and previous presidencies has developed, amongst others, the Accountability report on Mutual Legal Assistance and Compendium of Good Practices in Enhancing the Role of Auditing in Tackling Corruption. This, South Africa regards as an important tool towards improved cooperation for collective action against corruption and review of domestic processes for alignment with international best practice. Of significance is the attention given to gendered impact of corruption.
South Africa particularly supports the Compendium of Good Practices on the role of auditing in tackling corruption and subscribes to the International Standards for Audit which is supported by Constitutional imperatives and legislation that establishes the Auditor General of South Africa. The 2018, Public Audit Act of South Africa as amended enables AGSA to take action on audit outcomes to effectively curb and remedy financial irregularities in organs of state by amongst others:
- No 1, Referring material irregularities to relevant public bodies for further investigations.
- No 2, Issuing a certificate of debt for failure to implement the AG’s recommendations if financial loss was involved
- No 3, Taking binding remedial action for failure to implement the AG’s recommendations.
South Africa has furthermore strengthened measures to fight corruption by public service employees through the enactment of the Public Administration Management Act, of 2014, which, prohibits officials from conducting business with the State. South Africa has also introduced lifestyle audits for all public administration officials since April 2021 with the view to prevent and detect fraud and corruption in the Public Administration. The Presidency has also since July 2023 introduced lifestyle audits for members of the Executive.
More than ever before, South Africa is on the path toward strengthening International cooperation on Preventing and Combating Corruption through:
- One, Passing the law that enables setting up an international tribunal on corruption cases in South Africa.
- Two, Entering into bi-laterals and strengthening extra-diction laws to be better capacitated in either bringing back perpetrators of corruption or repatriating them back to their countries for prosecution.
Chairperson, South Africa reaffirms its commitment and compliance to all the chapters of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) as well the related conventions such as the OECD Convention, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, BRICS Anti-Corruption Protocols underway and the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force.
We are looking forward to the adoption of the Anti-Corruption Ministerial Communique towards collective commitment to combatting corruption globally.
Thank you.
