COSATU has finally launched an anti-corruption watchdog, which the federation hopes will save taxpayers billions lost annually to graft.
The organisation's general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, yesterday blamed capitalism and factions within the ruling ANC as the main sources of corruption.
The anti-corruption watchdog was launched at the former women's jail near the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
"It is a culture that grows within the system of capitalism but which is spreading fast from the private sector to the public service, as businesses are set up to corruptly obtain tenders from the state.
"Some of them are run by public representatives themselves or members of their families," Vavi said.
He said political life was also getting polluted by corrupt politicians, who build political support by bribing people to back their factions.
He repeated Cosatu's long-held view that public servants should not do business with the government. He said the federation would push the coming ANC policy conference to adopt this position.
Vavi said former special investigating unit head Willie Hofmeyr had estimated that the state was losing R3-billion to corruption every year.
"The loss of such huge sums of money has a devastating impact on our economy."
He said the recent takeover by national Treasury of departments in Limpopo, Gauteng and Free State, highlighted the colossal problems of mismanagement of public money, fraud and corruption.
Vavi said the private sector and unions were not immune to corruption. He said the recent scandal involving the loss of R100-million of clothing and textile workers' pension money was worrying.
Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, who attended the launch as government representative, warned that small acts of corruption needed to be nipped in the bud before they "graduated" to larger and costly acts of graft.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela also attended the launch of the anti-corruption body.
Cosatu launches anti-graft body
COSATU has finally launched an anti-corruption watchdog, which the federation hopes will save taxpayers billions lost annually to graft.
The organisation's general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, yesterday blamed capitalism and factions within the ruling ANC as the main sources of corruption.
The anti-corruption watchdog was launched at the former women's jail near the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
"It is a culture that grows within the system of capitalism but which is spreading fast from the private sector to the public service, as businesses are set up to corruptly obtain tenders from the state.
"Some of them are run by public representatives themselves or members of their families," Vavi said.
He said political life was also getting polluted by corrupt politicians, who build political support by bribing people to back their factions.
He repeated Cosatu's long-held view that public servants should not do business with the government. He said the federation would push the coming ANC policy conference to adopt this position.
Vavi said former special investigating unit head Willie Hofmeyr had estimated that the state was losing R3-billion to corruption every year.
"The loss of such huge sums of money has a devastating impact on our economy."
He said the recent takeover by national Treasury of departments in Limpopo, Gauteng and Free State, highlighted the colossal problems of mismanagement of public money, fraud and corruption.
Vavi said the private sector and unions were not immune to corruption. He said the recent scandal involving the loss of R100-million of clothing and textile workers' pension money was worrying.
Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, who attended the launch as government representative, warned that small acts of corruption needed to be nipped in the bud before they "graduated" to larger and costly acts of graft.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela also attended the launch of the anti-corruption body.
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