12 Sep 2013

The fight against fraud and corruption is the responsibility for everyone and not the sole mandate of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), director, Ms Rose Seretse has said.

Giving a keynote address at the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy and Toll-Free Number launch, on behalf of presidential affairs and public administration minister, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday, Ms Seretse said the fight against fraud and corruption could only be a reality in a transparent environment.

Therefore, she said this launch was a sign of NACA’s proactive move, commitment and determination to maintain a corrupt free agency.
In addition, Ms Seretse said this move to create a corruption prevention system was a step in the right direction and a commendable symbol of transparency, accountability and professionalism.

Since NACA has a critical mandate of Getting to Zero infections by 2016, the DCEC director said it was only fitting that this took place in an environment that had zero tolerance for corruption.

She said Botswana could only maintain its good reputation of being one of Africa’s least corrupt countries internationally by continuous vigilance, which further called for evolving strategies and systems to guard against fraud and corruption, and adhering to them.

“Left unchecked, corruption erodes the economy and social growth, including investor confidence.

 We should be equally wary of this fundamental fact given that we are still a developing country which requires domestic and foreign investment to grow,” she stressed.

She also said “everyone’s concern should be to turn things around and perceive corruption as an infectious ailment that may pose enormous economic challenges if not contained.”

Furthermore, Ms Seretse said it was encouraging to note that NACA had further created channels that stakeholders and members of the public could alert it on practices they deemed corrupt.

She said NACA’s promise was to act promptly on reports of corrupt practices that were reported through any channel including the Toll-Free number, which is: 0800 600 997.

In his welcome remarks, NACA national coordinator, Mr Richard Matlhare said NACA’s Fraud and Corruption Prevention policy was not solely for NACA, but for everyone.

“We know NACA is only a nerve centre that does all the coordination, so the implementation of these resources and the custody of these funds lie or are resident within you,” he said.

“Even as we provide the oversight, as we know for certain that corruption takes place or can take place- if ever it exists among those we coordinate at different levels, it can take place from NACA as the coordinator or our partners or networks as well,” he added.

Affirming the minister’s statement, on behalf of DCEC director, DCEC deputy director, Ms Botlhale Makgekgenene commended government departments for increasingly coming up with anti-corruption measures, saying this was an endeavour that DCEC was most gratified about and supported fully.

Ms Makgekgenene said “the fight against corruption is ongoing and as new manifestations of corruption are revealed, it is critical that we come up with new tools in response.”

She also added that “the fight against corruption will always remain work in progress and we have to always strive towards continual improvement.

Let us all stand united against corruption and speak in one voice.” Ends