South Africa is set to transform its anti-corruption landscape with far-reaching amendments to the PRECCA Act. The new measures will reshape accountability and reporting obligations across the country.
In a pivotal shift for South Africa's efforts against corruption, the government is poised to implement significant changes to the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA). Kim Rew, a partner at Webber Wentzel, says the long-standing legislation has faced criticism for lacking the necessary enforcement strength, but the introduction of the PRECCA Amendment Bill of 2026 may signal a decisive turn in the battle against graft and fraud in both public and private sectors.
Since its enactment in 2004, PRECCA has attempted to criminalise various forms of corrupt conduct, yet the historical reality of convictions has proven disappointingly low. As the country emerges from the shadows of state capture, a new legislative framework is emerging that is designed to ensure that consequences for corruption are both swift and severe.
Rew says the Amendment Bill, introduced to the National Assembly in March and tabled in Parliament in July, proposes two significant alterations: the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences for corruption convictions and a dramatically lower threshold for reporting suspected corrupt activities.
