‘One step forward, one step back’: Corruption and state capture continue to erode SA

State capture and corruption did not end with the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture due to government leaders lack of commitment to fight graft, activists said as anti-corruption week was launched last week.

Defend Our Democracy executive director Zaakirah Vadi said the perception that state capture ended with the commission was untrue.

“We’ve seen major corruption scandals even after its recommendations, like personal protective equipment corruption [during Covid] and issues surrounding Tembisa Hospital.

“Corruption networks that once operated nationally have shifted to provincial and municipal levels, or inspired similar behaviour at these levels,” she said.

State Capture Commission exposes corruption

Rampant corruption was revealed during the hearings before the commission chaired by former chief justice Raymond Zondo that was established in January 2018.

It wrapped up its proceedings and Zondo handed his final report to President Cyril Ramaphosa in June 2022.

According to Vadi, South Africa is at the intersection of organised crime, corruption and state capture, with criminal networks cooperating with corrupt officials.

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“Many individuals implicated in corruption are now back in Parliament or in other leadership roles. Fully addressing state capture and corruption requires arrests, investigations and prosecutions of those implicated by the commission.

“This would signal the government’s commitment to combating corruption and reinforce that everyone is equal before the law.”

At the launch last Thursday ahead of the global commemoration of Anti-corruption Day on 9 December, civil society groups urged government leaders to prioritise transparency, accountability and support for whistleblowers.

Progress made on fighting state capture corruption

Corruption Watch director Karam Singh said even though there were signs of progress, there was still not a sustained positive trend.

“The fight against corruption still feels like a one step forward, one step back situation,” Singh said.

“We’ve seen high-profile cases where new charges have been enrolled involving politicians and prominent business figures. We have also seen cases where charges are withdrawn, like in the Zizi Kodwa case.”

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Earlier this year, Corruption Watch released findings of research, conducted on 1 500 respondents, highlighting the impact of corruption on citizens’ lives.

It revealed that about two-thirds of respondents’ harbour scepticism towards South African law enforcement agencies, while a third had no confidence in the adequacy of existing anti-corruption laws and policies.

Respondents also had lost trust in elected and appointed officials.

Protect whistle-blowers

Singh emphasised the need for serious commitment from political leaders to drive the anti-corruption agenda, arguing that visible and public anti-corruption whistle-blower Cynthia Stimpel, former group treasurer at South African Airways (SAA), recounted her experience after she reported an irregular transaction worth R256 million in 2016.

“I faced significant retaliation. They used what I describe as trumped-up charges.

“They accused me of not using internal whistle-blowing policies and of alleged misconduct, including reporting to the media which I didn’t do. Within three months I was handed a suspension notice,” she said.

Stimpel testified before the Zondo Commission in 2019.

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“Despite my efforts to stop the irregular transaction, I still lost my job. This is typical for whistle-blowers.

“Many whistle-blowers lack the funds to fight lengthy legal battles, lose their jobs and struggle to find new ones.”

Stimpel took early retirement in 2017 after legal proceedings with SAA dragged on.

“The Protected Disclosure Act isn’t enough, and the government has made little progress to improve it.

“The findings of the State Capture Commission highlighted these issues, but companies and banks have not done enough to support or protect whistle-blowers,” she said.

According to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, SA’s corruption status dropped below the global average, scoring 41, two points less than the previous year.

Corruption impacting public services

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage highlighted the impact of corruption on public services.

“When corruption infiltrates the state it obstructs effective governance.

“When funds meant for public goods are diverted, basic services suffer, impacting roads and sewage systems, and affecting citizens who see little return for their tax contributions,” he said.

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