Judge Willem Heath, ladies and gentlemen, let me greet all of you this morning as we meet today to discuss the scourge of corruption, a "disease" that manifests itself in many ways within our society, government and private sector depriving our people of their legitimate fruits of democracy.
Before I go any further and get to the topic of today of anti-corruption, under the theme: "Consolidating partnerships: revitalising provincial strategy and its implementation", I would like to reflect on the observations of the African National Congress (ANC), as the ruling party in government today.
In its 52nd national conference held 2007, the ANC observed that corruption was a systemic and institutional phenomenon that involved all sectors of society undermining democratic processes as well as corporate governance.
The rise of this disease that has become so endemic in our societal structure, that it erodes social cohesion and moral values. Consequent to crooked means and fraudulent ways of our people who are our brothers and sisters, the South African national integrity systems, comprising the legislative, executive, judicial, business and civil society, are continuously undermined.
The ANC government strongly believes that these community sectors should be underpinned by high revolutionary morality and high historic values. Our contention is that that "working together, we can do more"; a view that underscores the belief that the civil society has a crucial role to play in exposing corruption of all forms and ensuring adherence to ethical conduct.
The state on its part needs to strengthen the legislatures and the judiciary as means to actively promote and support integrity in line with the recent call by the President of the Republic, Jacob Zuma, for State organs to hold "the highest standard of service, probity and integrity".
If as the government we are to deliver on the will of the people, we need to lead processes that would come up with effective measures to combat corruption and deal with the corrupt, the corrupters as well as those who are corrupted using the full might of the law.
As an organisation leading the government, we have conceded that, among other things, our accumulated weaknesses include the inability to effectively deal with new emerging tendencies arising from being a ruling party, such as social distance, patronage, careerism, corruption and issues of abuse of power.
I am reflecting on these issues because I want it to be known that we are not a generally corrupt political party that is preying on state resources to enrich ourselves but are stunned, like everyone else, at how corruption has permeated all sectors of our society.
This shocking selfishness derails the government's quest to deliver the much needed services to our people and betrays the vision of our founding fathers of delivering "a better life to all" through social, economic and political emancipation.
If one were to look at the Eastern Cape provincial strategic framework and the key strategic areas, one would be disturbed to note that curbing corruption is also classified as a critical priority. These priorities include:
- speeding up growth and transforming the economy to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods
- building social and economic infrastructure
- rural development land, agrarian reform and food security
- strengthening education, and building a skills and human resources base
- improving the health profile of the province
- intensifying the fight against crime and corruption
- building a developmental state, improving the public services, and strengthening democratic institutions; and
- building cohesive, caring and sustainable communities.
One cannot help it but be disturbed that there is so much effort and energy, which could be better utilised elsewhere, which is committed to fighting the evil of corruption.
While as the province we are doing our utmost best to intensify the fight against corruption, one cannot help it but be heartbroken when our efforts to empower our people are thwarted by this kind of cancer.
To cite an example; as the province we had resolved to review procurement policies in order to promote cooperatives and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) as part of supply chain management.
In this regard, we had to incur additional costs to put in place mechanisms to deal with corruption in procurement processes, particularly with respect to conflict of interest by officials.
What does this do to service delivery? It frustrates and stalls it.
As the province, however, we are quite adamant in intensifying the fight against corruption. In the last financial year we resuscitated the provincial Anti-Corruption Forum and intensified our efforts to uproot the scourge of corruption through awareness programmes as means to inculcate a culture of intolerance towards corrupt activities.
Furthermore, having active participation and commitment by politicians and senior officials in driving the fight against corruption has been key to achieving positive outcomes in employing strategies that include among others:
- detecting and investigating corruption through the use of whistle blowing mechanisms
- managing conflicts of interest in the workplace
- communication and awareness.
Programme director, this, the second Eastern Cape Anti-Corruption Consultative Conference, is a moment of reflection where, as explained, we meet to review progress and challenges as well as exploring ways of strengthening our own anti-corruption measures and aligning them with the National Anti-Corruption Summit resolutions.
In July last year, the province hosted the second session of the anti-corruption learning network (ACLN) in Port Elizabeth. In implementing its resolutions, we are trying to enforce a financial disclosure framework that extends to all categories of supply chain management processes.
Another important aspect of the ACLN was the determination to interact with the local sphere of government to enhance efforts to curb corruption at that level. However, as the interface point of service delivery it becomes important that corruption is nipped in the bud in this area as well.
Other notable achievements when it comes to the province's fight against corruption as led by the Office of the premier include:
- a whistle blowing policy governing the provincial government
- embarking on community awareness workshops
- publication of posters, banners, pamphlets, waist coasts, notice boards bearing anti-corruption messages
- development of a price index to curb over pricing by service providers and collusion by government officials; and
- appointment of SIU in Education and Local Government and Transport departments.
This has resulted in increased reporting of wrong doing in provincial government as well as detection of scams like fraudulent payment of pensions and use of order books.
We do, however, also have some notable challenges which include:
- Lack of internal investigative capacity to handle reported cases
- Whistle blowers do not always provide detailed information on allegations to enable initiation of investigation by relevant departments
- Anonymity of whistle blowers is hampering investigation process in situations where follow-up or clarity is required
- Non-adherence to the minimum information security
- Protection of whistle blowers still a worrying factor
- There's no proper processes to follow up on cases referred to departments
- Quality of anti-corruption and risk management framework and adherence to them; and
- Weak information systems that are open to hackers and fraudsters.
As I conclude ladies and gentlemen, I would like to quote the Dalai Lama when he says: "all the problems of the world; child labour and corruption are symptoms of a spiritual disease: lack of compassion".
May be, beyond the anti-corruption measures, we need to engage in a different kind of a struggle, wage a new war where if we achieve victory we would have been able to return humanity to our people where they appreciate that they have to work and earn whatever wealth or material they accumulate and not get it through fraudulent means.
I am most certain that the discussions to ensue here would focus on the resolutions of the provincial anti-corruption plan (2005 to 2007).
As we review our strategies and tactics in our quest to rid ourselves of all kinds of corruption, we need to be cognisant that perpetrators of these crimes are not sleeping as well and are trying to find new ways to beat the system.
Let us for once, as this multi-sector collective show the world that as much as the Eastern Cape is perceived as an enclave where all the rot has converged, we are determined to free ourselves from the malice of corruption and all its manifestations.
I thank you.
