Thulas Nxesi says Ramaphosa’s leadership is committed to fighting state capture

Minister of Public Works Thulas Nxesi says he is confident that under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, fraud and corruption will be uprooted and state capture unravelled.

Nxesi added the fight against fraud and corruption should be a priority in both the public and private sectors, as the country sought to strengthen its economy and implement transformation that would benefit not just a few individuals.

“I remain optimistic in this regard that mainly because of the new political landscape, the leadership of President Ramaphosa, which is committed to fighting fraud and corruption, and dealing with the state capture will take us forward, and I repeat again, this fight will not be a single event, it is a process and which requires this meticulous investigative work of the SIU and the other agencies or other branches of the law enforcement,” Nxesi said.

The minister said whistleblowers played an integral role in the fight against fraud and corruption, as the information they shared with relevant authorities led to investigations.

Nxesi said a few public servants, not the majority, were rotten elements that sometimes ran sophisticated corrupt activities with government departments.

The minister was addressing the media on the signed proclamation by Ramaphosa, which would allow investigations into the department, and the recovery and savings of billions of rands through forensic investigations.

He said there should be a lifestyle audit of the department’s management, which would entail him also being audited.

Among other revelations made at the briefing, acting director-general Imtiaz Fazel revealed that more than 250 cases of corruption have been heard in the department, and 193 of them have resulted in suspensions, written warnings and dismissals.

Fazel said there was also a growing trend of officials under investigation resorting to resignations.

Another revelation made was that an estimated 2 000 Public Works employees were found to be in conflict of interest or doing business with government.

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