CORRUPTION and fraud is caused by greed, which may start small but soon gets out of control.
That is according to KZN MEC for Human Settlements Ravi Pillay, who was speaking at the anti fraud and corruption campaign launch at the public works department in Mayville, Durban on Friday.
At the event attended by department employees, Pillay said he wants to root out fraud and corruption in government institutions.
Fraud is a big threat to government and society. “It affects poor and vulnerable people and is the opposite of democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
The MEC said workers should know that the corruption prevention plan should be a daily expression of their working lives.
“It is designed to make us live and work at a higher standard. We must ensure we deal with service providers and stakeholders at a higher level and force them to meet our standards,” said Pillay.
“We are shifting gears to say the language of zero tolerance has now become a tired cliche.
“Workers in this department have been investigated for fraud. Some were suspended while others decided to resign. We won’t tolerate corruption anymore.”
He said anyone suspected of corruption would be investigated. “Nothing stays hidden forever. Sooner or later it will come out. When that happens, there will be serious consequences.”
He urged managers to live and work by ethical standards and said the fraud prevention plan was a message to fraudsters who want to control the system.
Thenjiwe Mdlalose (38) said she is happy about the campaign. “Corruption makes poor people suffer,” she said.
