Radebe: Keep tabs on procurement officials

Johannesburg - Business must "closely scrutinise" the work of those involved in procurement processes in order to timeously detect corrupt activities, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe said on Friday at Business Unity SA's  anti-corruption forum.

The same principle of close scrutiny should also be applied to senior managers in finance departments, Radebe said.

Corruption usually occurred where tender processes were concerned, and involved both public and private sector officials, Radebe said.

"Corruption is a crime no less than any other crime in society. It requires at least two to tango," Radebe said.

The minister commended the efforts of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, which he said had had returned billions of rand into state coffers acquired through corrupt means. The money, he added, had been directed to corruption fighting institutions.

Corruption undermined the efficacy of programmes aimed at empowering people, especially the poor, Radebe said. He said an example of this was the granting of a housing tender to an "unqualified" contractor.

Radebe said while government was "intolerant of corruption", business had to pay attention to "loopholes" and together with government find solutions to corruption.

"There can never be a permanent solution to corruption. Business must always be a pace ahead," Radebe said.