By Johnathan Paoli
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the close-out report of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), marking the conclusion of its three-year mandate to advise government on strengthening South Africa’s anti-corruption framework.
Ramaphosa described the report as a “vital contribution to the renewal of our democracy,” assuring that its recommendations would be reviewed and acted on “without undue delay.”
“While much of our attention is on detecting and prosecuting corruption, true success depends on preventing it in the first place,” he said.
“We need transparent, accountable and ethical institutions, public and private, where corruption cannot take root. We must build a society defined by responsibility and integrity.”
The report, handed to the Presidency at the Union Buildings on Thursday and released publicly on Friday, is described by the council as “a critical turning point” in the fight against corruption, which it warns remains an “existential threat to democracy.”
Established in September 2022, NACAC was tasked with guiding implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), adopted five years ago.
Its members were drawn from government, civil society, academia, organised labour, business and traditional leadership, reflecting the country’s diversity.
The council stressed that combating corruption requires a whole-of-society approach, focusing as much on prevention as enforcement.
Over three years, it conducted extensive research, convened national dialogues, monitored progress on the NACS and Zondo Commission recommendations, and provided regular advisories to the Presidency.
It also drew lessons from international experiences in Kenya, Serbia, Lithuania and Hong Kong.
Among its major contributions, NACAC submitted a series of strategic advisories.
On whistleblower protection, it recommended comprehensive reforms to criminalise retaliation, provide physical, psychosocial and financial support, and establish independent disclosure bodies.
It also called for transparent appointments to state-owned entities, safeguards for whistleblowers, and stronger procurement oversight in line with the Zondo Commission’s findings.
In addressing electoral integrity, the council proposed amendments to the Political Party Funding Act and the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill to curb risks in political financing.
On procurement reform, it urged revisions to the Public Procurement Bill, the professionalisation of procurement officers, and the introduction of e-procurement systems.
As part of its engagement with society, the council hosted two National Anti-Corruption Dialogues in 2023 and 2024.
The first was attended by President Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, while the second focused on youth participation and resulted in a youth-led anti-corruption pledge.
In its final diagnosis, NACAC identified four systemic drivers of corruption: deep-rooted inequality, weak governance, entrenched political patronage, and permissive social norms.
These factors, it warned, have eroded public trust in institutions, weakened the economy, and fuelled organised crime.
The most far-reaching proposal in the final report is the establishment of the Office of Public Integrity and Anti-Corruption (OPI) as a Chapter 9 institution to guarantee independence from political interference.
The office would absorb the mandate and resources of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), ensuring immediate operational capacity.
It would be empowered to conduct systemic audits, protect whistleblowers, convene public hearings, seize evidence, and institute civil proceedings for asset recovery.
The OPI would issue binding recommendations subject to judicial review and control its own budget and staffing.
Interim arrangements would allow the SIU to urgently extend whistleblower protections until the new body is established.
The report also calls for sweeping reforms of law enforcement. It recommends reorganising mandates so that the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) focuses exclusively on serious corruption and commercial crime, while the Hawks handle organised crime.
A Case Management Committee, chaired by the National Director of Public Prosecutions, would coordinate investigations across the IDAC, NPA, SAPS, IPID and the future OPI.
The NPA itself would be restructured to guarantee independence by securing control over its budget and human resources.
The SAPS would undergo professionalisation, lifestyle audits, stronger disciplinary enforcement and the establishment of an insulated Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit.
The report further emphasises the need for enhanced protection of investigators, auditors and whistleblowers amid growing threats and violence, as well as the use of advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, to detect anomalies and counter disinformation campaigns such as deepfakes.
Beyond institutional reform, the council recommended a national communications strategy led by the OPI, behaviour-change campaigns, youth mobilisation, and gender-sensitive approaches to tackling corruption.
It also urged urgent legislative amendments to the Political Party Funding Act, the Public Procurement Act, the Electoral Amendment Act and the SAPS Act.
Concluding its work, the council issued a stark warning: “The establishment of the OPI, rationalisation of law enforcement, and protection of whistleblowers are not optional. They are essential for safeguarding South Africa’s young democracy and preventing a recurrence of state capture.”
In receiving the report, Ramaphosa pledged that Cabinet would give priority to its recommendations.
“The report, observations and recommendations clearly demonstrate the extensive work and significant thought that NACAC has applied to these challenges. NACAC has provided a firm, evidence-based foundation to take forward a comprehensive response to corruption,” he said.
The Presidency confirmed that implementation of adopted recommendations would follow established statutory processes.
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