Preventing the spread of fraud corruption requires a collaborative effort of many stakeholders in order to cultivate a culture of good governance and integrity. This sentiment was shared by several stakeholders who attended the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Seminar held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 14 November.

The progress the City has made to address the backlog of disciplinary cases of implicated employees as well as blacklisting companies involved in corruption was also highlighted during the seminar.

The seminar was spearheaded by the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU) and aimed to provide a platform to share ideas on how to minimise fraud and corruption in the public sector. EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba said the Municipality is committed to building a capable, honest, and transparent administration.

“We will achieve this by regularly conducting lifestyle audits on public servants who occupy strategic positions in the City and preventing Municipal or state employees from doing business with the City. These form part of our interventions to build a fraud and corruption-free City.”

He said they are also strengthening the CIIU to ensure that the investigating unit conducts its work without fear, favour, or prejudice.

“We will also be strengthening the oversight role of Portfolio Committees as we will not tolerate fraud and corruption. I am pleased that CIIU is working diligently to reduce the disciplinary case backlog, with some of these cases being referred to law enforcement agencies.  Fighting corruption is a collective responsibility,” said Mayor Xaba.

Head of CIIU Jimmy Ngcobo said working with law enforcement stakeholders has yielded positive results.  He said in the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year (July to September) 108 investigations were finalised, 53 infrastructure theft cases were completed, and 147 service delivery complaints were resolved. During this period, four entities and their directors were blacklisted and prevented from doing business with the City, with 31 internal and external anti-fraud and corruption trainings undertaken to capacitate stakeholders on rooting out fraud and corruption.

The City also has 26 criminal cases that are currently active with law enforcement agencies, with their finalisation imminent. Ngcobo said 51 employees have also been dismissed who were implicated in fraudulent activities while 90 employees resigned while investigations were in progress.

Chairperson of the City’s Financial Misconduct Board Advocate Makhosini Nkosi said there are various levels of corruption.

“Law enforcement stakeholders are crucial to assist the Municipality reduce fraud and corruption. The Municipality should not hesitate to eliminate corrupt businesses from their database. On many occasions people engage in fraud and corruption knowing very well that their conduct is unethical,” said Advocate Nkosi.

Advocate Rodney De Kock, from the National Prosecuting Authority in KwaZulu-Natal, said there are laws designed to assist the government and state-owned entities to recover assets and money gained through fraud and corruption.