More than 3 000 officials have been found guilty of misconduct related to cases reported via the National Anti-Corruption Hotline (NACH).
This is according to Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, leading a briefing of the Governance and Administration Cluster at the Imbizo Centre on Thursday.
“A total of 3 600 officials were found guilty of misconduct related to corrupt activities reported to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline in the public service between 1 September 2004 and 31 January 2017,” he says.
Of these, about 1 700 officials were dismissed from the public service; a total of 447 officials were fined, with some of them not receiving a salary for three months; and 137 officials were demoted, 921 officials were given final written warnings, and 395 officials were prosecuted.
The minister says that, as at 31 January 2017, 18 778 cases were referred to government departments, and feedback on 17 240, or 92%, cases was received.
“Of the total number of cases referred, 16 947 (90%) cases were closed,” he adds.
“The successful investigation of cases of alleged corruption reported to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline resulted in the recovery of R410-million from perpetrators.”
Gigaba points out that the revised Code of Conduct for Public Service employees, which came into effect on 1 August 2016, prohibits public service employees from conducting any form of business with organs of the state – whether in their own capacity as individuals or through companies in which they are directors.
“To manage the prohibition process, the 2016 Public Service Regulations had provided transitional arrangements, ensuring that from 1 February 2017, no public service employee will have business interests involving an organ of state.
“In terms of these transitional arrangements, by 31 January 2017, those who were doing business with an organ of state, should have relinquished that specific business interest or opted to resign from the public service.
“The information regarding compliance on this provision is being collated and government departments would be required to ensure that the necessary disciplinary steps are taken against those found to be in violation of these regulations,” he says.
He adds that 98% of public servants had declared their financial interests by the closing date of 31 May 2016, an increase of 16% in the submission rate compared to 82% recorded during the previous financial year.
