Part two of our mini series on copper theft in South Africa takes a look at the various measures in place to combat the problem, and action taken to date. The series is based on a recent report titled South Africa’s Illicit Copper Economy, which was released in December 2023 by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The NSFAS/Blade Nzimande saga has taken a turn for the dramatic, with the DA bringing a criminal complaint against the higher education minister over his alleged role in defrauding the student funding scheme through kickbacks paid to him. Meanwhile Nzimande claims that this is all part of a politically motivated campaign against him.
South Africa’s Public Procurement Bill, now sitting with the National Council of Provinces, is one of the most consequential statutes advanced by the current administration. It will govern South Africa’s trillion rands of annual procurement expenditure – a mighty responsibility. But despite legislative drafting proceeding since 2014, says the Procurement Reform Working Group in a recent statement, the Bill has been rushed through Parliament, no doubt because of the 2024 elections. Read the statement here.
In our new two-part mini series, we consider the devastating effect of the relentless theft of copper on South Africa’s infrastructure, and the consequent burden such theft places on the country’s economy and society. Part one sets the scene as it stands currently, and part two details the ways in which the situation is being addressed, including legislation, law enforcement efforts, and international co-operation.
The Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum, chaired by the Special Investigating Unit, has shared progress made in the fight against South Africa’s so-called construction mafia. Of 712 cases referred for investigation, said the forum after its most recent quarterly meeting, so far 722 people have been arrested and 52 convictions have been secured.
State capture has had far-reaching consequences in South Africa, especially for public institutions that are meant to serve the people and stimulate development, writes Darren Parker for Engineering News. But despite few arrests and even fewer prosecutions, as well as the ongoing skirting of accountability by both politicians and implicated businesspeople, the country has not been entirely passive in the face of state capture and broad-based corruption.
From recovering monies stolen during the state capture period to punishing delinquent directors, there is progress in the implementation of the state capture commission recommendations. But much more work still lies ahead.
The Special Investigating Unit has signed an MoU with Interpol’s National Central Bureau for South Africa. This will allow the organisation to have direct access to Interpol’s information system, which extends to 195 countries, and will facilitate tracking criminals across borders. The CSIR’s information and cyber security research centre will support the SIU in various areas, including cyber infrastructure support and use of AI, blockchain, and other technologies to combat crime and corruption.
Why do we insist on piling accolades on a democratically elected government for managing public resources and interests competently and within the confines of the law, writes Corruption Watch’s Moepeng Talane for CW Voices. It’s like praising a fish for swimming, she adds – for doing exactly what they are required to do. “We cannot afford the business-as-usual, complacent attitude of our leaders toward corruption and towards events that highlight the urgency needed to deal with it.”
Visit our GivenGain R20 for Change page and help us demand transparency in our systems, accountability in our leaders, and better empowerment and protection of whistle-blowers. By donating R20 a month, you’ll be supporting our work with communities across the country, helping them to know and access their rights and reduce the corruption that robs people of resources intended for their benefit.