CASAC Lauds the Launch of the Corruption Watch

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) congratulates Corruption Watch on its establishment and launch, and commends the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) for taking this initiative.

Success in the fight against corruption is dependent on the active involvement of all sectors of society and all citizens. Corruption Watch provides an enabling environment for the mobilisation of citizens in holding public officials to account for the utilisation of public resources in a manner that serves the public good and provides value for money. We need to use all mechanisms possible to ensure a zero tolerance approach to corruption.

This initiative will need to be bolstered by the expansion of the legal protection afforded to whistle-blowers, as well as the development of a culture of whistle-blowing in South Africa. Those with information about corrupt activities need to be assured that they will not be victimised as a result of making information available to organs such as Corruption Watch.

CASAC reiterates its call for a dedicated, independent, statutory body to investigate, prevent and educate the public about corruption. Civil society bodies have an important role to play in exposing corruption but the state has the responsibility to establish a body that will effectively investigate such acts and refer it to the prosecuting authority. An independent body must have statutory powers and be resourced from the fiscus. CASAC remains concerned that in the light of the judgment of the Constitutional Court in the Glenister case, there has been no progress in establishing such an independent anti-corruption body. Parliament only has until September 2012 to comply with the ruling of the Constitutional Court, yet the public have been given no indication of how such a body will be structured and governed.

For more information contact:

Lawson Naidoo
Mobile: 073 158 5736

For more about the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, refer to www.casac.org.za.

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