EDITORIAL: Transparency means nothing without accountability
Presidency creates a special tribunal to help the state recover funds and assets lost to corruption
One of the great ironies about SA is that while transparency levels are relatively high — were it not for media freedom, state capture may have slipped under the radar altogether —accountability is almost nonexistent. That dichotomy has sent a strong message to the public and private sectors that though corruption is frowned upon, it is not punished in practice. As a result, under the scandal-plagued Jacob Zuma administration unscrupulous private-sector players sought to make hay while the sun shone and grab as much as they could. Zuma’s successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, has vowed to reverse the damage and ensure accountability. Thus on Sunday, the presidency announced the creation of a special tribunal whose mandate, ultimately, will be to assist the state with recovering funds and assets lost to corruption. The special tribunal, which will be run by eight judges, will fast-track the finalisation of civil claims — those linked to corrupt state contracts — before the Special Investigating...
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