Question NW1093 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
21 September 2020 - NW1093
Breytenbach, Adv G to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
What is the current status of the special Covid-19 Anti-Corruption unit; (2) whether the specified unit has been set up; if not, why not; if so, (a) to whom does it report and (b) what number of cases are currently under investigation and/or being prosecuted?
Reply:
1. No dedicated COVID-19 Anti-Corruption Unit has been established.
2. Instead, the President has requested the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster to consider establishing measures through which corruption emanating from COVID-19, both in terms of procurement as well as the implementation of the COVID-19 stimulus package announced by the President, could be dealt with.
a) The NatJoints Command Centre which comprises Directors-General in the Security Cluster and the Directors-General from other Departments directly affected by COVID-19, including National Treasury, have discussed measures meant to prioritize measures aimed at COVID-19 Anti-Corruption cases. The coordination is done through the Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT).
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the Financial Intelligence Centre and the National Prosecuting Authority, are members of the ACTT.
b) In addition, the SIU has requested that the President issue a Proclamation to enable the SIU to investigate COVID-19 related corruption.
It can therefore be deduced from the work under way that the existing law enforcement agencies have the ability and the competence to deal with COVID-19 related corruption.
Therefore, there is no compelling reason for the establishment of a Special COVID-19 Anti-Corruption Unit at this stage.