Johnathan Paoli
President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed the establishment of the Investigating Directorate as a specialised and multidisciplinary unit within the National Prosecuting Authority to investigate corruption and other serious crimes.
President Ramaphosa announced the news during his State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening at Cape Town City Hall.
The President said that great progress has been made in bringing those responsible for state capture to justice and that more than 200 accused persons are being prosecuted, with more being under investigation.
Ramaphosa said that stolen funds have been recovered and that freezing orders of R14 billion have been granted to the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit for state capture-related cases, and around R8.6 billion in corrupt proceeds have been returned to the state.
The president reported that a restored and revitalised SARS has collected R4.8 billion in unpaid taxes as a result of evidence presented at the Commission, while the Special Investigating Unit has instituted civil litigation to the value of R64 billion.
“We have taken steps, including through new legislation, to strengthen our ability to prevent money laundering and fraud and secure our removal from the “grey list” of the Financial Action Task Force,” Ramaphosa said.
He said that with the assistance of business, a digital forensic capability to support the NPA Investigating Directorate would be set up, which in due course be expanded to support law enforcement more broadly.
Ramaphosa said that legislation is currently before Parliament to establish the Investigating Directorate as a permanent entity with full investigating powers, but there is much more work to be done to eradicate corruption completely.
Based on the recommendations of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, the presidency remained determined to introduce further measures to strengthen anti-corruption agencies, protect whistle-blowers, regulate lobbying and prevent the undue influence of public representatives in procurement.
“We will not stop until every person responsible for corruption is held to account. We will not stop until all stolen money has been recovered. We will not stop until corruption is history,” the president said.
Ramaphosa said that the real tragedy of state capture was that it diverted attention and resources away from what the government should have been doing, which is to grow the economy and create jobs.
The president’s announcement is in line with a more stringent approach to crime in general and sustains links with multi-departmental projects.
“We will continue to strengthen our law enforcement institutions, tackle gender-based violence and fight corruption to make South Africa a safe place for all,” Ramaphosa said.
Meanwhile, the EFF has approached the Constitutional Court in an effort to overturn Parliament’s decision to not adopt the Section 89 panel’s report into the Phala Phala farm burglary.
This despite the report finding that there was a prima facie case that Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office in his actions regarding the burglary at his Limpopo game farm.
Previously, the South African Revenue Service, the South African Reserve Bank and the Office of the Public Protector have cleared Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing in their separate investigations into the Phala Phala farm burglary.
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