PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is talking tough about the rampant corruption that has come to characterise funds meant to help fight coronavirus.
Ramaphosa in his address to the nation has vowed that no stone would be left unturned and that money that has been siphoned from these funds would be recovered.
READ: IRVIN KHOZA LOSES ANOTHER WIFE
He announced that the Special Investigative Unit has been deployed to fight the corruption in these funds, saying it was concerning that money meant to help the needy was being stolen, and sometimes food meant for the poor was being diverted to close friends and families.
Ramaphosa said when he announced the funds to fight the pandemic, regulations were put in place to curtail unjustified price hikes.
“Since the declaration of the national state of disaster, the Competition Commission has investigated over 800 complaints of excessive pricing. It has so far prosecuted or reached settlements with 28 companies, imposing penalties and fines of over R16 million.
“The Auditor-General has also adopted special measures to safeguard funds committed to the fight against COVID-19. Special audits have been undertaken to detect and prevent misuse of these funds and to identify risks in the system,” he said.
Further, a collaborative and coordinating centre to strengthen the collective efforts among law enforcement agencies so as to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute COVID-related corruption, has been established.
This brings together agencies such as the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, the SAPS Detective Service, the South African Revenue Service, the Special Investigating Unit and the State Security Agency.
“The people of South Africa require nothing less than full accountability from those who have been elected and appointed to serve them. All the funds that we have committed must reach their intended recipients and must be put to their proper use.
ALSO READ: STUDY: YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET COVID-19 AT HOME
“We will take steps to recover all funds that have been stolen or where goods have been overpriced,” he promised.
To show his commitment, Ramaphosa said he will be updating the nation on the developments of these investigations every six weeks.
“We are determined that every instance of alleged corruption must be thoroughly investigated, that those responsible for wrongdoing should be prosecuted and that all monies stolen or overpriced are recovered.
“In order to speed up and strengthen the process of dealing with corruption, I have today signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit – the SIU – to investigate any unlawful or improper conduct in the procurement of any goods,” he said.
