CAPE TOWN -
President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that crime and corruption will be a key focus area as South Africa looks to rebuild the economy following the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ramaphosa said a Special Investigating Unit is following the allegations of criminal offenses during the national state of disaster, and that the outcome will be made public once the investigation concludes.
“We are working to clamp down on the illegal economy and illicit financial flows, including transfer pricing abuse, profit shifting, VAT and customs duty fraud, under-invoicing of manufactured imports, corruption and other illegal schemes,” said Ramaphosa.
"The decisive action we have taken to prevent, detect and act against Covid-related corruption will strengthen the broader fight against crime.
"We will strengthen the framework to ensure that political office-bearers at all spheres of government do not do business with the state and we welcome the agreement at NEDLAC that all social partners will act decisively against corruption and fraud in their ranks,” he said.
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The President reassured South Africans that there’ll be no political interference with the work of law enforcement agencies and that a Joint Rapid Response Team at a national and provincial level will be responding to disruptions at construction sites and other business activities.