Pretoria - The National Public Service Commission says over 20 000 public servants have been charged with corruption, and R300 million has been recovered from the perpetrators.
Speaking at a two-day workshop for coordinators of the National Anti-Corruption Hotline (NACH) in the North West, Public Service Commissioner James Mudau urged departments to improve their coordination when investigating cases, so as to speedily resolve them.
Mudau said the rate of feedback and the number of cases closed since the inception of the NACH was a concerning factor, as members of the public were not getting information or feedback on the cases they have reported.
“The public loses trust in reporting alleged corruption against government officials, which paints a negative picture as far as the fight against corruption in the public service is concerned.
“We have the responsibility to make sure that our people are prioritised by dealing with cases as they report them to the hotline,” he said.
Acting Head of Department in the Office of the Premier, Humang Mashimbye, called on investigators in provincial departments to spare no effort in resolving cases referred to their departments in order to restore the confidence of whistle-blowers and the general public in institutions set up by government to fight corruption.
Premier Thandi Modise has consistently called for an onslaught against corruption and for it to be uprooted as it has a negative impact on development, democracy, human rights and governance.
She has said that capacitating anti-corruption structures would serve to promote an ethical culture, deepen an improved understanding of the many facets of the scourge of corruption and strengthen implementation of programmes to combat it.
Four officials from all departments in the province are attending the workshop to get empowered on investigating white collar crime, including strategies on how to deal with fraud and corruption from a legal and investigative perspective, and techniques and guidelines on combatting financial crime. - SAnews.gov.za
