Riyaz Patel
The National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) group has elected Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride, as its interim chairperson.
David Lewis, the Executive Director of lobby group Corruption Watch, was chosen as his co-chairperson.
McBride and Lewis were voted in at the Reference group’s first meeting at the Union Buildings, Pretoria Friday, SA Government News reported.
The NACS Reference Group is mandated with providing overall strategic input on the country’s draft national anti-corruption strategy, which aims to root out corruption in the country.
Special Investigative Unit (SIU) Head Advocate Andy Mothibi set the tone by urging members to be proactive in ensuring a national response in fighting corruption.
The Reference Group – consisting of representatives of government, labour, civil society, business and academia – will be tasked with processing the NACS for approval by Cabinet and other key stakeholders.
The forum was established in line with government’s commitment to fighting corruption, a key priority in the government’s blueprint, the National Development Plan (NDP).
The grouping is an offshoot of the Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee (ACIMC) established in 2014 with the mandate to coordinate and oversee the work of the state organs in combating the scourge of corruption in public and private sector.
The Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT), which has representatives from various law enforcement agencies, was tasked by ACIMC to develop the NACS.
The ACTT established a Steering Committee which undertook public consultations across the country to get additional inputs into the draft strategy.
The Provincial Consultative Process included stakeholders’ from labour, civil society, business, government and the general public.
Following the extensive consultative process and in line with the NACS Roadmap, the multi-stakeholder Reference Group was born.
