Public Service Commission - News

PSC Chairperson Addresses Global Anti-Corruption Forum

The Global Forum II on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity was held at the Hague in the Netherlands from May 28 to 31 this year. South Africa was one of the 142 nations that took part in the forum hosted by the Dutch Government.

This meeting, attended by ministers, government officials and representatives of international organizations and NGOs had as its aim the preventing and combating of corruption and promoting integrity in government and in society.

The Chairperson of the Public Service Commission addressed the Forum on the May 30 2001. Prof Stan Sangweni briefed the participants about progress that South Africa has made in its fight against corruption. He outlined progress from Cabinet initiatives in 1997 through the National Anti-corruption Summit in April 1999 to the launch of a South African National Anti-corruption Forum in June 2001. This brief also included initiatives at the level of SADC and Africa.

The Global Forum II adopted a final declaration with the theme "Defeating Corruption, Through Integrity, Transparency and Accountability".

This declaration raises deep concerns about the general spread of corruption. Several participants identified this as a virus capable of crippling and discrediting public institutions and private corporations and having a devastating impact on the human rights of populations, thus undermining society and its development, particularly the poor.

The participants committed themselves through the declaration to prevent and combat all forms of corruption. The members also adopted a detailed report, which include the way forward to the next Global Forum in Korea scheduled for 2003.

South Africa stands to benefit by exchanging views with other countries on various approaches to address corruption. This is of vital importance to South Africa's interests as a developing country considering that corruption has a direct impact on a wide range of issues that are of major concern to the country's development agenda, including investments, service delivery and the quality of people's lives.

Click here for the full text of the speech that Prof Sangweni delivered to the Forum

Article compiled by Sifiso Ngema

 

 

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