04 Aug 2014

Poor leadership breeds corruption, the acting Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration has said.

Speaking at the launch of State President's launch of policy on fraud and corruption prevention, Mr Shaw Kgathi said managers were not only expected to be ethical in their own behaviour, but were also responsible for ensuring that the highest standards were maintained among the supervisees.

He indicated that this could be achieved by, among others, identifying areas of risk and providing adequate systems for monitoring them.

“The policy provides guidance to employees, stakeholders and corruption prevention committees on structures and procedures that the ministry has in place to counter corruption,” said the minister.

He said the launch of the policy was a continuation of efforts in the ministry and government as a whole to uphold and improve Botswana’s longstanding commitment to a free corrupt society.

Mr Kgathi said it was not enough for Botswana to be known as a least corrupt country in Africa; but rather it was government’s vision to realise a society fully free of all forms of malfeasance.

“The need to have a new, ministry specific strategy at this time has come about in recognition that the risk for areas for corruption are evolving and becoming more varies,” he said.

Minister Kgathi said the launch of the policy should be understood as a proactive initiative that sought to pre-empt emerging challenges rather than a response to any specific circumstance.

“Although our country has over the years been receiving good ratings for its anti-corruption efforts, this does not in any way suggest that we have been entirely free of corruption,” he said, adding that new strategies must go hand in hand with unswerving vigilance to uphold previous gains.

He said people should realise that the fight against fraud and corruption is everyone’s frontline responsibility and not simply the role of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC).

“Left unchecked, corruption erodes economic and social growth including investor confidence,” said Minister Kgathi. He appealed to all stakeholders including the private sector and civil society organisations that received government resources to also be aboard in their operations.

“We can no longer tolerate any organisation that fails to account for resources extended to them,” he stated.

Ms Botlhale Makgekgenene, DCEC's deputy director, said corruption tended to be prevalent in systems characterised by, among others, ineffective procedures, weak internal controls and inadequate accountability.

She said corruption must be given the attention it deserved by putting in place preventive measures and the policy being launched by the minister would act as one of those tools in the ministry efforts to fight corruption.

“I encourage the Office of The President leadership through Corruption Prevention Committees (CPC) to extensively roll it out to all staff members,” she said. Ms Makgekgenene said corruption was widely believed to be growing in the community and becoming widespread.

“I would like to reiterate that leadership involvement in the fight against corruption is of utmost importance in the success of CPC,” she said.

She urged the Office of The President to further continue in its efforts to promote high intergrity and ethical standing in order for the public service to follow suite. ENDS