The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Thursday said the recent arrests of several alleged suspects of corruption made by the Hawks was an indication that South Africa had entered the dawn of an era of accountability.

This follows the recent arrests relating to the R225-million asbestos in housing audit tender in the Free State.

In another case, African National Congress member Vincent Smith has been arrested on charges of fraud and corruption. He is out on bail of R35 000.

The SACP says the recent arrests also show that corruption in the public sector is destined to benefit personal or private sector wealth accumulation.

While the party welcomes the arrests, it says South Africa needs to meet at least five key performance indicators before the country progresses on overcoming corruption.

“First, more arrests must follow. Second, there must be successful prosecution. Third, those found guilty must be sentenced to severe prison sentences. Fourth, the assets acquired from corrupt conduct, fraud and other forms of wrongdoing must be seized through asset forfeiture processes. All avenues, national and international, must be exhausted to recover the public resources lost because of state capture and other forms of corrupt conduct,” the party said.

It has also suggested that the State tender model be rolled back and the State be 'de-tenderised'.

It says there are too many outsourced State functions in all spheres of government.

“The State in South Africa has been reduced to a frontier of private capital accumulation through tenders, which are also used to mediate State-society relations. On the contrary, South Africa needs a capable democratic developmental State with its own internal capacity to serve the people wholeheartedly,” the SACP stated.

The party also contended that many of the individuals awarded tenders via their privately-owned companies did not have more capacity than the State and asserted that it was effectively workers who were exploited in those tenders.