25 Nov 2015

Corruption is a crime that evolves and therefore needs continuous review of strategies used to combat it,” says Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele.

 Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Anti-Corruption Pitso, Mr Makgalemele said the  multifaceted and elusive nature of corruption as well as its links with other forms of crime warrant focused attention, commitment and unwavering support at all levels.  

 The pitso was held under the theme: Twenty years fighting corruption, the journey continues'.

The assistant minister said “a solid commitment from the government, the private sector, and the civil society is required to develop and enact concrete solutions which will permanently keep corruption at bay.” 

He noted that solutions were not easy in view of the fact that addressing corruption required action at various levels and with diverse modalities, necessitating well-coordinated activities and interventions.

Mr Makgalemele said the objective of the pitso was to assess current anti-corruption measures and to come up with remedial interventions to improve.

“You are aware that the government of Botswana established the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) to fight corruption and economic crime in all its forms and is supported by other institutions such as the Ombudsman, Auditor General, Botswana Unified Revenue Services, Directorate of Intelligence Services, the Public Procurement and Assest Disposal Board and the Competition Authority,” he said.

He said since the establishment of the DCEC it has grown to become a formidable force as it routinely introspects to find points of leverage where maximum impact can be derived in the anti-corruption drive.

“One of the leverage points established is the fact that the fight against corruption requires an integrated approach bringing together all key stakeholders in order to bring sustainable change,” he said.

Mr Makgalemele noted that the DCEC utilised a three prolonged strategy of investigation, prevention and public education to fight corruption.

He said it was in recognition of the fact that the fight against corruption could not be won by investigating and prosecuting only.

“Nipping corruption in the bud through prevention and education are also important components of fighting corruption. Of all cases that the DCEC refers to the Directorate of Public Prosecution and ultimately end up in the courts, a conviction rate of 70 per cent is secured,” he said.

He also noted that the DCEC has established corruption prevention committees in all ministries and some parastatals.

“Other initiatives include collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to infuse the topic of corruption into the school curriculum at Junior Certifiate (JC) level. The youth remain a critical target for the anti-corruption clubs in several secondary schools to engage the youth in the fight against corruption,” he said. Ends