Issued by: The Public Service Commission
The Public Service Commission reported to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration today (16 November 1999) on the National Anti-Corruption Initiative. The Commission pointed out that Government's policy on the campaign against corruption dates as far back as October 1997 when a Ministerial Committee was mandated by Cabinet to consider proposals on the implementation, at national and provincial level, of a national campaign against corruption. The first step of this process involved holding a successful Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference on 10 - 11 November 1998 in Cape Town. The Conference underscored a sense of urgency and the necessity for a new proactive approach to combat corruption and to promote government's constitutional obligations, namely, transparency, clean governance and efficient service delivery.
The second step in the process involved the holding of a National Anti-Corruption Summit on 14 - 15 April 1999, during which a number of resolutions were formulated to combat corruption. The Public Service Commission, which has since been appointed as government's flag carrier in the campaign against corruption, activated an action plan for the implementation of the resolutions of the Summit. Departments and Provincial Administration are required to submit inputs regarding their implementation of the Summit resolution. Progress on these inputs is being monitored on a continuous basic. In order to further enhance the campaign against corruption the Commission is devising an Accountability Agreement system to monitor asset ownership and potential conflict of interest for public servants. This form will be completed by all officials from Deputy Director and higher, once the necessary processes have been completed including negotiation with the trade union in the PSCBC.
The Commission maintains that Government's view on issues of corruption have been largely informed by recommendations emanating from the two anti-corruption conferences held in Parliament. Resolutions from both events have been endorsed by Cabinet and the Public Service Commission is not acting on its mandate as the flag carrier of the anti-corruption programme. It should be noted that the present Government acknowledges that corruption adversely affects all sectors in society and impacts most directly on the poor, and is corroding the national culture and ethos of democracy. Both government and civil society are being depleted of scarce resources that are needed to ensure economic prosperity, equality and a better life for all. Corruption is also viewed as a blight on society caused by the worship of self, which gives the pursuit of personal affluence priority above the pursuit of economic justice for all. Government and civil society together share a commitment to stamp out corruption at every level in society and develop a culture of zero tolerance of corruption.
Flowing from two major policy decisions taken by government to convene anti-corruption conferences, the following measures constitute a programme of action that is currently being implemented.
COMBATING CORRUPTION
To endorse, support and implement all the sectoral initiatives developed in the National Anti-Corruption Summit C To critically review and revise legislation in place to combat corruption, and to address any shortcomings by either amending, or drafting new legislation where necessary C To develop, encourage and implement whistleblowing mechanisms, in all sectors, which include measures to protect persons from victimisation where they expose corrupt and unethical practices C To support the speedy enactment of the Open Democracy Bill to foster greater transparency, whistleblowing and accountability in all sectors C To ensure effective investigation and prosecution of acts of corruption by establishing special courts C To establish Sectoral Coordinating Structures to effectively lead and manage the National Anti-Corruption Programme in their sector and to feed into the development of a National Coordinating Structure. C To rapidly establish a cross sectoral task team to look into the establishment of a National Coordinating Structure with the authority to effectively lead, coordinate, monitor and manage the National Anti-Corruption Programme. The Public Service Commission has taken responsibility for establishing this cross-sectoral task team.
PREVENTING CORRUPTION
To publicise and support the blacklisting of businesses, organisations and individuals, who are proven to be involved in corruption and unethical conduct C To establish a National Anti-Corruption Hotline to facilitate the reporting of corrupt practices in all sectors C To establish and promote Sectoral and Other Hotlines to strengthen the National Hotline C To take disciplinary action and other proactive measures against persons found to be behaving in corrupt and unethical ways C To monitor and report consistently and fairly on corruption in all areas of civil society, the private sector and government C To promote and implement sound ethical, financial and related management practices in all sectors.
BUILDING INTEGRITY AND RAISING AWARENESS
To promote and pursue social analysis and research and policy advocacy to analyse the causes, effects and growth of corruption, as well as to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies C To negotiate, develop, support and enforce Codes of Good Conduct and Disciplinary Codes in each sector of society C To work together with civil society to inspire the youth, workers, employers and the whole South African society with a higher moral purpose and ethos that will not tolerate corruption C To promote training and education in occupational ethics on all levels of South African society C To support and work together with all sectors in creating a sustained media campaign to highlight the causes of, and solutions to corruption, and to communicate the national integrity strategy.
Most of the measures identified above have been endorsed as intrinsic steps in developing the National Integrity Strategy. It should be noted that their implementation is gaining momentum. An interim cross-sectoral task team has been meeting since the April Summit to coordinate the various initiatives. Whistleblowing legislation is before parliament and the Corruption Act (1992) is being reviewed by a parliamentary committee.
Business has drafted a Code of Ethics and GCIS is developing a series of proposals for a sustained media campaign to fight corruption. The Public Service Commission is itself engaged in conducting Code of Conduct and Anti-Corruption workshops throughout the country and is currently developing its own capacity to more accurately monitor and investigate corrupt practices in the public service.
November 16 1999
Contact Person: Mr V Mavuso 082 889 6199
Yvonne Mannee Mogadime
Public Service Commission
P/Bag X121
Pretoria
0001
Tel: +27-(0)12-352 1196/7
Mobile: +27-(0)82 448 2385
Fax: +27-(0)325 8382
E-Mail : MOGADIMEYMM@OPSC.PWV.GOV.ZA