WILL THE BIGGEST THIEVES BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE?
Last week, media reports highlighted the arrest of Assistant Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigator Bonginkhosi Dlamini, who was taken into custody for allegedly soliciting E200,000 from the head teacher of Lusoti High School in exchange for not pursuing an investigation into the reported misappropriation of school funds.
According to reports, Dlamini initially demanded a E100,000 tender from the head teacher to prevent a colleague from investigating him. He is also accused of requesting a cow from Eswatini Railways' Director of Operations, Sandile Stanley Dlamini, to halt an ACC investigation against him. Ultimately, Dlamini was apprehended by his fellow ACC officers on Thursday morning.
Dlamini now faces multiple charges, including four counts under the Prevention of Corruption Act No. 3 of 2006 and two counts under the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011. Additionally, he faces alternative charges of extortion and attempted extortion. Two companies, Deep Gold Investment (Pty) Ltd and Red Heart Investments (Pty) Ltd, where Dlamini serves as co-director, are also implicated as the second and third accused.
While these are allegations whose veracity is still to be tested in a court of law, this arrest shines a light on the deep-seated corruption within state institutions meant to uphold accountability. It highlights the paradox where those tasked with combating corruption are, at times, accused of the very crime they are meant to fight. Although not entirely unheard of, it is rare for an anti-corruption investigator to face charges of corruption themselves.
More importantly, this incident underscores the need for our nation to not only condemn and punish such behaviour but also address the root causes that drive public officials in state institutions to engage in criminal activities. Among these causes are the low salaries of officials like anti-corruption investigators and judges, despite their responsibility for handling high-stakes matters.
Financial pressures, coupled with a lack of professional integrity and weak accountability mechanisms, often lead to moral decay within these roles. Moreover, the absence of serious consequences for those who steal from the public further emboldens such behaviour, as individuals may feel that the risks of engaging in extortion or other illegal activities are outweighed by the potential rewards.
Around the same time as the ACC investigator's arrest, several Ministry of Home Affairs officials were apprehended on similar charges. Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala issued arrest and search warrants for eight Home Affairs employees suspected of being involved in a syndicate selling refugee status and passports to foreign nationals. These arrests again highlight the broader issue of corruption within state institutions, where similar underlying reasons likely led these officials to allegedly commit these crimes.
When considering that former Finance Minister Majozi Sithole previously revealed that the country loses E80 million a month due to corruption, the recent arrests seem minor in the grand scheme of things. They leave the nation questioning when the real culprits—those stealing millions and crippling Eswatini's healthcare, education, and economic development—will be brought to justice. Recent reports have implicated individuals in the theft of millions, contributing to drug shortages in public health facilities and causing deaths, yet no arrests have been made. During the COVID-19 pandemic, essential funds meant to protect lives were stolen, resulting in fatalities, but still, no one has been held accountable.
In the past, there was speculation that the ACC was being used by the powerful to serve their political and personal interests rather than targeting serious corruption. While the recent arrests are significant, the nation eagerly awaits the day when those responsible for looting public hospitals are finally arrested.