The minister described 2025 as a decisive turning point, marking South Africa’s shift from pledges of reform to visible, systemic transformation. This momentum, he noted, has been bolstered by South Africa’s successful hosting of the 2025 G20 Summit, where South Africa co-chaired the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group alongside the Special Investigating Unit. The group secured global commitments on procurement integrity, cross-border cooperation on anti-money laundering efforts, digital transparency, and the fight against illicit financial flows, all of which were endorsed in the G20 Leaders’ Declaration.
Discipline management has also entered a more assertive phase with the full implementation of the 2023 Discipline Management Strategy. Departments must now submit quarterly discipline reports, while a Central Register of Disciplinary Cases set to launch by year’s end will help prevent dismissed officials from re-entering the system. Higher case‑finalisation rates already reflect better enforcement.
Lifestyle audits have become mandatory across government, with 93% compliance achieved this year. Nearly 9 000 senior managers have been audited, leading to 172 cases being referred for further investigation. The state is simultaneously expanding its investigative capacity to ensure swift action where wrongdoing is suspected.
Read Full Article on The Citizen
[paywall]
Whistleblower protection has been strengthened through the newly published Witness Protection Guide. As of April 2025, ten public servants are receiving protection, a sign, the minister said, of the government’s commitment to safeguarding those who expose corruption. Dr Anusha Naidoo, the acting deputy director-general of Human Resource Management and Development at the DPSA, also addressed public concerns about the employment of foreign nationals in the public service, clarifying that they constitute only 0.44% of the workforce and are appointed strictly in line with legislation, limited to scarce skills categories.
To protect the public purse, Deputy Minister Kekana confirmed that a national physical verification of all public servants is underway to eliminate ghost employees. Salaries of individuals who cannot be verified will be suspended pending investigation, and fraudulent appointments will be referred to law enforcement agencies. Unannounced payroll audits will be introduced to sustain compliance. Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi emphasised that these reforms form part of a broader structural shift to modernise procurement oversight, tighten conflict‑of‑interest disclosures, and expand lifestyle audits in high-risk areas.
[/paywall]
