AP

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe addresses delegates at the launch of Corruption Watch in Joburg yesterday. He said the fight against corruption was as important as the Struggle against apartheid.

THE ANC has welcomed the launch of Cosatu’s Corruption Watch, aimed at holding public and private sector officials accountable.

The initiative has a website allowing victims of corruption to lodge complaints. The information will be analysed and made available to the public.

“If crime and corruption is not firmly attended to, it has the potential to reverse our hard-won democratic gains,” said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu.

“We call upon Cosatu and all South Africans to blow the whistle against crime and corruption committed in both the public as well as in the private sector. This will ensure that this scourge of crime and corruption is uprooted completely in our society.”

Mthembu said the ANC’s national and local election manifestos emphasised that procurement methods, such as the use of tenders, should be transparent.

“Responding to our call, the government has engaged the services of the Special Investigating Unit to ensure that perpetrators of such corrupt acts are brought to book.”

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said at the launch of Corruption Watch in Joburg yesterday that the fight against corruption should be as important as the Struggle against apartheid.

“Corruption seeks to extinguish the flame that shines on all South Africans, the flame that promises freedom and security for all, the flame of democracy,” he said.

Radebe said the government looked forward to the positive contribution Corruption Watch would make.

“With corruption in government, all members must be dealt with irrespective of rank or status,” he said.

“Corruption Watch will ensure that people are not passive but are important role players in democracy.”

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said a free media was one of the core ways of combating corruption.

“There is not a single day without newspapers exposing corruption of a government worker.

“All stories have this one thing in common: corruption is daylight theft from the poor. Unless we can mobilise and empower people… we will not succeed in our quest to defeat this fast-advancing enemy.”

Vavi said corruption also extended to union members.

“Some union leaders have been paid to turn a blind eye to worker abuse. This type of corruption results in a situation whereby we have agents of the capitalist class within the workers’ movement.”

Vavi said corruption had made politics a case of who had the “biggest treasure chest”.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, who was at the launch, said the initiative “couldn’t have come at a better time”.

“Corruption poses a threat to balance in the constitution... (the initiative) will ensure that those who rob the poor will be held accountable.

“All sectors of society need to support the initiative. It is with the active participation of everyone that the idea of am (uncorrupted) state will be realised.” – Sapa