The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) ombudsman, retired Judge Takalani Raulinga was recently appointed to conduct oversight over the work of the anti-corruption institution. When regular oversight fails, government resorts to ad hoc commissions, resulting in duplicated investigations and costs, says the writer.
Dr. Reneva Fourie
Many South Africans view the Zondo Commission, the Africa Expert Panel, and now the Madlanga Commission with increasing fatigue. Although the Madlanga Commission is beginning to show results, most commissions are lengthy, costly and produce reports that are rarely acted upon.
Yet these commissions often duplicate functions that permanent statutory bodies, established over the past three decades, were already created to perform. Those bodies have simply been starved, sidelined or captured, one after another, hence the endless commissions.
The Investigating Directorate, now the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), is a permanent, prosecution-led unit focused on high-profile corruption, organised crime and serious commercial offences.
