Africa-Press – South-Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa says a review of the country’s anti-corruption architecture is near completion.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa responded to questions from MPs in the National Assembly.
ANC MP Thabo Mmutle asked Ramaphosa about the steps the government intends to take following the fleeing of Shepherd Bushiri, the July unrest and the escape of Thabo Bester from the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Ramaphosa said his administration’s resolve to ensure the safety and security of citizens is evident through, among other things, the significant increase in the resourcing of prosecutors and police.
“This budget will assist in the recruitment of more than 10 000 new police officers to be deployed countrywide to fight crime and additional prosecutors to tackle complex cases of corruption.
“To ensure that complex and high-level corruption cases are dealt with swiftly and efficiently, Special Commercial Crimes Courts have been established in all provinces and are being capacitated with technological tools to allow for virtual testimony and digital receipt of evidence,” Ramaphosa said.
The government has been left red-faced over the dramatic escape of Bester, a convicted murderer and rapist, who was believed to have died in cell 35 in May last year. Authorities conceded last month that Bester had escaped from prison after GroundUp revealed that the body found in the cell was not his.
Bushiri, the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church leader, and his wife skipped bail in November 2020, after being arrested for fraud and money laundering to the tune of R102 million linked to an investment scheme.
Bushiri also faces allegations of rape and human trafficking. In 2018, his lawyer lodged a complaint that his client was being extorted by police in relation to the case.
Ramaphosa said the review of the anti-corruption architecture would make proposals for enhancement of institutional architecture, which includes the proposals for an effective agency to fight corruption.
“Recent cases mentioned by [Mutle] highlight weak border controls in our country. The establishment of the Border Management Agency, with border guards who have been given certain peace officer powers, will help to address the weaknesses in border controls. Strengthening international cooperation with other countries, including mutual legal assistance and extradition matters, is a priority as we fight against all forms of transnational crimes,” Ramaphosa said.
Furthermore, the president said the ability of the criminal justice system to respond to crime needed to be complemented by long-term strategies to prevent crime happening in the first place.
“The Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy, which was adopted last year, recognises that the social and economic contributors to crime must be addressed collaboratively by all stakeholders. It also recognises that our response needs to be integrated and holistic,” he said.
The six pillars of the strategy are:
“In putting this strategy into practice, the security cluster is working to improve the efficiency, responsiveness and professionalism of the criminal justice sector while mobilising communities and establishing strategic partnerships to reduce crime and violence,” Ramaphosa said.
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