Science and Technology supports anti-corruption Twitter campaign "#MyHandsAreClean" to mark Anti-Corruption Month 2015
The Department of Science and Technology marked this year’s Anti-Corruption Month by taking to social media to support efforts to stamp out the scourge of corruption.
23 November 2015 saw the DST's Director-General, Dr Phil Mjwara, hosting the Department's Anti-corruption Day, by pledging support to the #MyHandsAreClean Twitter campaign. Dr Mjwara urged staff to participate in the campaign and challenged them to recruit other citizens to actively participate.
The campaign involves taking selfies of one's hands and re-tweeting them under the hashtag #MyHandsAreClean. People are also urged to nominate a friend or colleague to do the same.
The social media initiative was launched by Corruption Watch in February 2014 to draw people's attention to the corruption problem and to get the public involved.
To mark the occasion, the DST hosted the head of Crime Line, Yusuf Abramjee, to address staff. Mr Abramjee commended the DST for supporting the Twitter campaign. He said that corruption knew no boundaries, had no values and could take many forms. "Whether it's bribing a traffic cop with a "cold drink", giving R100 in exchange for a favour or paying R1,5 million to influence the tender board, it all amounts to corruption," he said.
Since 1994 government has increased its anti-corruption stance and activities to combat the scourge. This approach has become more systemic in nature, with a greater emphasis on instituting policy measures.
The DST has a Fraud Risk Management Policy, a Fraud Risk Management Handbook and a Whistle-Blowing Policy as instruments to complement government's efforts to prevent corruption.
The DST also stamps the staff's monthly salary advices with the National Anti-Corruption Hotline contact number, namely, 0800 701 701.
Part of government's anti-corruption strategy is to raise awareness of fraud and corruption. To this end it supports the United Nations' International Anti-Corruption Day, which is marked as 9 December.
The DST's 2015 Anti-Corruption Month runs from 15 November to 15 December.
The Department encourages staff members to create awareness within their areas of responsibility with regard to acts of impropriety, misconduct and/or corruption and to report such acts to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline.
