Public Service Commission chair calls for reflection at anti-corruption dialogue

Public Service Commission chair Prof Somadoda Fikeni yesterday challenged delegates attending a two-day national dialogue on anti-corruption in Boksburg to put the spotlight on themselves.

The summit, which marked International Anti-Corruption Day, heard speeches by Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi and National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, chair Prof Firoz Cachalia and director-general in the Presidency Phindile Baleni – pointing to the magnitude of graft in the country.

Buthelezi said corruption was not only a scourge threatening the fabric of democracy and the future of South Africa, but an administrative failure and an act of cruelty – “a betrayal of the nation by evil alliance of the people we trusted to be our leaders”.

Corruption an ‘act of cruelty’

Cachalia said the country was engaged in a “long- term project of anticorruption reform”.

“International experience suggests that such efforts often fail, resulting from simplistic ideas and partial remedies.

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“One example of success is Hong Kong. They told us that while corruption is now under control, they continue investment after 60 years to prevent backsliding. This is because their continued prosperity depends on sustaining anticorruption efforts,” he said.

He added: “So, we have to understand – starting from a low base of pervasive corruption – what the essential elements of long-term success are, in the fight against corruption,” said Cachalia.

Corruption, said Cachalia, manifested “uniquely in different contexts, which require tailored remedies”.

Needs tailored remedies

“Historically, corruption has been viewed as individual criminal acts. Focus has been on prosecution and punishment by law enforcement agencies. But sole reliance on retrospective accountability is insufficient.

“Corruption in SA is systemic, evolving and may be influenced by social norms; socioeconomic factors,” said Cachalia.

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He said a broader strategy was required. “We have to strengthen a range of critical institutions – including constitutional bodies and institutions of law enforcement to foster resilience,” he said.

Taking delegates by surprise, Fikeni said: “We are a country that is so used to workshops and conferences in policy development and sometimes we mistake this for the real thing. We are a country that is so fascinated with policies and systems, even if we don’t implement them.

“What if such a gathering, bearing no results, is part of corruption? To ordinary people – they know that we flew here – we are going to sleep somewhere and we are going to claim S&Ts [subsistence and travel allowances] – and thereafter nothing happens?

Country fascinated with policies and systems

“What right do we have when they think that all of us have become that ecosystem of corruption? Yet each one of us here flew to this venue – considering money spent on us – would have helped a cobbler to buy material or get a gazebo.”

Fikeni added: “What is an ordinary grassroots person’s definition of corruption? When I say please Google for me any conference to take me abroad, I will buy some stuff for you. I get there and never pitch on behalf of the country. If that is not corruption, what is corruption?”

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The conference, attended by experts on corruption, will today be addressed by national director of public prosecutions advocate Shamila Batohi and will adopt resolutions on how best to address the scourge.