The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the new Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi’s decision to strengthen the NPA

9 April 2019

The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the new Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi’s decision to assign top prosecutors in senior positions as part of her efforts to stabilise the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). We also welcome the renewed focus that the NPA is paying to goings in the State Capture Commission of Enquiry.

This is long overdue and we hope that Advocate Shamila Batohi will be given all the necessary support to get to the bottom of the looting and corruption in this country.

Hopefully, this will strengthen the NPA and helps it lead the fight against corruption that has crippled both our economy and our country.COSATU wants to see all the robber barons, swindlers and their enablers, who have stolen from the poor sent to jail where they belong.

COSATU still insist, though, that if we are going to fight corruption successfully, we cannot afford to condemn some corrupt actions and make excuses for others. For example, we treat public and private sector corruption differently and that is a big problem for this continent and this country in particular.

The effects of corruption in the public sector harm the poor by increasing the costs of public services which should be free. Corruption in the private sector has got higher implications because of its ability to affect the whole economy and to bring the economy to its knees.   

In this country, daily, money is being taken out of the country by multinationals through base erosion and profit shifting and the rich take their wealth to offshore trusts.

We do not see our law enforcement agencies using their might to deal with big companies and rich individuals. Arresting ordinary traffic officers for taking bribes whilst the right thing will not bring corruption levels down, when big companies, politicians and the rich get away with murder.

We can only have a successful partnership to fight corruption if we show the same level on intolerance for private sector corruption as we do for public sector corruption. We hope that the NPA will also not shy away from tackling private sector corruption and also dealing with the powerful moneyed class.

Issued by Siwe Pamla, National Spokesperson, COSATU, 9 April 2019