Question NW3977 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

Reply:

(1) The Department of Public Service and Administration participates in the following groups and or teams of Departments namely; Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee (ACIMC), Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT) and National Anti-Corruption Forum (NACF)

ANTI-CORRUPTION INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE (ACIMC)

(a) Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee (ACIMC) is chaired by the Minister in the Presidency: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

(b) (i) Minister of Justice and Correctional Services,

Minister of State Security,

Minister of Police,

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs,

Minister for Public Service and Administration,

Minister of Finance,

Minister of Home Affairs,

Minister of Social Development and

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

(ii) Presidency: Lead Department,

Department of Public Service and Administration,

Department of Social Development,

Department of Justice and Constitutional Development,

Department of Home Affairs,

National Treasury,

State Security,

South African Police Service,

(c) Mandate of the Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee (ACIMC) is to coordinate and oversee the work of state organs aimed at fighting and combating the scourge of corruption in the public and private sectors.

(d) Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee is in a better position to respond to this part of the parliamentary question.

(e) Achievements of the Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee include the following:

• Coordinated approach for the implementing of government Agenda on the preventing and combating of corruption, as stipulated in the National Development Plan.

• Coordinated reporting on identified international anti-corruption obligations.

ANTI-CORRUPTION TASK TEAM (ACTT)

(a) Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT) is at an operational level and works under the oversight of the Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee (ACIMC), the ACTT has been established as the central body to implement government’s anti-corruption strategy.

(b) (i)(ii) Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI): Lead Department

National Prosecuting Authority

Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA)

Department of Justice and Constitutional Development

Special Investigating Unit (SIU)

National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC)

Financial Intelligence Centre

South African Revenue Service (SARS)

National Treasury

State Security Agency

Government Communications and Information Services

(c) Mandate of the Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT) is to fast-track high-priority and high-profile corruption cases. The ACTT works with government departments to strengthen governance systems, reduce risks and prevent corruption.

(d) The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) as Lead is in a better position to respond to this part of the parliamentary question.

(e) Achievements Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT) includes the following:

• Developed several inter-related programmes aimed at ensuring a structured, consolidated and coordinated governmental and societal approach to fight corruption

• Leads departments and institutions to the periodic reporting to the Executive Committee of the ACTT on progress made in their areas of responsibility.

NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION FORUM (NACF)

(a) National Anti-Corruption Forum (NACF) contribute to the establishment of a national consensus through the co-ordination of sectoral strategies against corruption

(b) (i)(ii) Public Service Commission (as Secretariat)

Business representative

Civil society presentative

Public Sector represented by the Department of Public Service and Administration

(c) Mandate of the National Anti-Corruption Forum (NACF) is to:

• contribute towards the establishment of a national consensus through the co-ordination of sectoral strategies against corruption;

• advise Government on national initiatives on the implementation of strategies to combat corruption;
• share information and best practice on sectoral anti-corruption work; and
• advise sectors on the improvement of sectoral anti-corruption strategies.

(d) There is no sunset clause on the National Anti-Corruption Forum.

(e) Achievements of the National Anti-Corruption Forum include the following:

The NACF held conferences of which resolutions were adopted leading to a anti-corruption programme. This Forum provides a platform for government, business and civil society organisations to work together in the prevention and combating of corruption.

(2) Corruption, given its definition by the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 involves offering and acceptance of gratification whether for one’s benefit or for the benefit of another person. It is by its nature a crime committed behind closed doors by parties who will do their utmost not to be detected.

In most cases understanding of the public on what is corruption differs from what is prescribed in the Act, as a result, there has been a fair amount of speculation as to how much money is lost as a result of public sector corruption. The figures are sometimes based on the total value of irregular expenditure, fruitless expenditure, wasteful expenditure and unauthorized expenditure. This measure is inaccurate, as the definitions of such expenditure clearly show that they refer to something different to corruption.

(3) There is currently no measure applied in the public sector to estimate financial losses as a result of corruption. The value of such actions over the last few years would, therefore, be very difficult to calculate or estimate, at a national or provincial department level.