Speeches

Remarks by the Hon AC Nel, MP, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development at the Meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council on 28 August 2025 at the Union Buildings

President, Chairperson, Members of the Council, Colleagues,

It is an honour to address this meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. I wish to express appreciation to you for the commitment and expertise you bring to this critical task.

Corruption is not a victimless crime.

It erodes public trust, undermines the legitimacy of our democratic institutions, diverts resources intended for development, and deepens the scourges of poverty and inequality.

Each rand stolen is a classroom not built, a clinic not staffed, a road not repaired. The stakes are not abstract—they are felt daily in the lives of ordinary South Africans.

The Constitutional and Institutional Imperative
Our Constitution enshrines accountability, responsiveness, and openness as founding values.
Chapter 9 institutions, Parliament, the judiciary, and an engaged civil society give life to these principles.
The Zondo Commission and other inquiries have laid bare the nature and extent these challenges.
The creation of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council is a direct response to this imperative: to marshal collective wisdom and propose reforms that strengthen our anti-corruption architecture, sharpen enforcement, and rebuild public confidence.

Progress and Challenges
Since the adoption of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, we have:

• Established forums for better coordination among law-enforcement agencies.
• Begun strengthening whistle-blower protection frameworks.
• Advanced legislative reforms, including amendments to procurement law and anti-money laundering measures.

But much remains to be done.

Capacity constraints, siloed operations, and slow consequence management continue to frustrate citizens.
Too often, investigations do not translate into prosecutions, and prosecutions do not translate into convictions.

Key Priorities for Action
The Council’s work can make a decisive impact in the following areas:

• Prevention and Systems Reform
• Close loopholes in public procurement through transparent, digital systems.
• Simplify compliance for honest officials while tightening controls against abuse.
• Protection of Whistle-blowers and Activists
• Implement stronger legal, financial, and personal security safeguards.
• Ensure those who expose corruption are not left isolated or vulnerable.
• Consequence and Accountability
• Enhance coordination between SAPS, the NPA, the SIU, and the Hawks.
• Insist on time-bound investigations and transparent reporting of outcomes.
• Send a clear message: impunity will not be tolerated.

A Whole-of-Society Effort
Corruption cannot be defeated by government alone.
Business, labour, religious communities, academia, and civil society must all be partners. This Council embodies that principle of inclusivity.
Together, we can reweave the fabric of trust that corruption has torn apart.

Conclusion
We sit here not only as policymakers or advisers, but as custodians of the democratic promise made in 1994.
Let us use this Council as a platform not for talk alone, but for tangible action, bold reform, and enduring accountability.
Our success will be measured not in reports written, but in lives improved, institutions strengthened, and trust restored.

I thank you.