19 February, 2012 14:58

Paul Vecchiatto
BusinessLIVE

More money to fight corruption

Cabinet has approved an additional R150 million for law enforcement agencies to fight fraud and corruption, says Justice & Constitutional Affairs Minister Jeff Radebe.

Image: Gallo Images
Justice Minister Jeff Radebe

The money would be transferred from the Criminal Assets Recovery Account to the Anti-Corruption Task Team. This team consists of the SA police Services Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigations, also known as he Hawks, the Special Investigation Unit and the national Prosecuting Authority's prosecutions and asset forfeiture arms.

Radebe said: "These resources are aimed at strengthening the capacity of these law enforcement agencies in our resolve to fight corruption."

He also said the levels of corruption reduced improving investor perception, trust and willingness to invest in SA.

Radebe said a target had been set of arresting and prosecuting 100 persons suspected of serious corruption who have more than R5 million in illicit assets by April 2014.

He said significant progress had been made by the law enforcement agencies that were led by the Anti-Corruption Task Team, although more needed to be done.

Between April and December last year 56 people were being investigated for corruption activities. Out of that total 32 investigations were begun last year and 26 people had been arrested and appeared in court and 19 people have had their assets frozen.

Radebe said the current priority case investigations involved a total of 157 persons suspected of corruption.

"This, we believe, will have a deterrent effect on potential offenders," Radebe said.

In answer to a question Radebe said that the Anti-Corruption Task Team had no fixed budget as the different line departments funded their own activities.

The R150 million, Radebe said, would be distributed among the departments and that it came from monies that were confiscated from illicit activities.

"The last time this was done (the distribution of illicit monies confiscated) was done before my time in 2007/08," Radebe said.



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