Kubayi calls on professional bodies to act against corruption enablers
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has urged professional bodies to take stronger action against members who facilitate or conceal corrupt activities.
Speaking at a Corruption Combat Summit, at the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday Kubayi highlighted the role of lawyers, accountants, auditors, bankers, consultants and other professionals whose specialised skills can be used to move or conceal illicit funds, establish shell companies or certify misleading documents.
She said the continued use of professionals to hide corruption and avoid accountability shows that the response cannot rely solely on the criminal justice system.
“Professionals who act unethically and are found to have participated in corrupt activities and abused their professional titles should be barred from continuing to practice in their respective professions.”
Kubayi said professional bodies need to review whether their disciplinary mechanisms are effective enough to hold members accountable.
She questioned whether bodies such as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Legal Practice Council have taken sufficient action against professionals implicated in corruption.
Kubayi’s comments come as a warrant of arrest was issued for disbarred advocate Malesela Teffo after he attempted to bring an application before Judge Carrim Moosa, arguing that the accused in the Matlala trial were being treated unfairly.
ALSO READ:Legal Practice Council Confirms Mr Malesela Teffo Has Not Been Readmitted to the Legal Profession
The Minister said accountability is a shared responsibility between the state, professional bodies and other stakeholders.
She also pointed to progress by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, saying it has recovered R8.3 billion linked to corruption cases, up from R6 billion reported the previous year. Of this amount, R3.6 billion was paid to victims, while 4.6 billion rand went to the Criminal Asset Recovery Account.
However, Kubayi added that significant challenges remain, particularly the growing links between organised crime and state institutions.
She said the Madlanga Commission had exposed alleged connections between transnational drug trafficking, corruption, tender fraud, contract killings and the targeting of whistleblowers.
One of her biggest concerns is the alleged infiltration of law enforcement agencies by organised crime networks, with some officials accused of working with criminals to weaken institutions responsible for fighting crime.
The minister emphasised that the protecting whistleblowers was becoming increasingly urgent.
