By Ebi Kesiena
President Cyril Ramaphosa has stressed that South Africa’s fight against corruption cannot be reduced to arrests alone, insisting that prevention, institutional reform, and oversight are essential to achieving lasting change.
His comments follow the submission of the final report of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), which concluded its three-year mandate and presented its recommendations to the Presidency.
NACAC, established in 2022 to guide the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, has proposed the creation of a permanent and independent Office of Public Integrity and Anti-Corruption. The body would have powers to investigate, prevent, and remedy corruption in both the public and private sectors, echoing a key recommendation of the State Capture Commission.
In his weekly letter, Ramaphosa said the true test of success lies in preventing corruption before it takes root. “The fight against corruption cannot be reduced to arrests alone,” he wrote, arguing that dismantling networks of patronage, strengthening state institutions, and closing regulatory loopholes are critical steps forward.
The NACAC report also urged stronger coordination among law enforcement agencies, the adoption of artificial intelligence to detect financial irregularities, and the creation of a national data-sharing framework to close gaps exploited by corrupt actors.
Ramaphosa highlighted that corruption extends beyond government. He pointed to tax evasion, market manipulation, inflated contracts, and tender collusion in the private sector, warning that these practices harm the economy but often escape the level of scrutiny directed at the state.
The President noted ongoing investigations by the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), including cases linked to Eskom, Transnet, the South African Post Office, Postbank, municipalities, and alleged irregularities in a major fuel tender. “This year has seen several arrests linked to alleged corruption in Eskom, the South African Police Service
