South Africa’s Alternative Path to Fighting Corruption

A former South African prosecutor has argued that the country has legal tools—civil, regulatory, and administrative—to prevent corruption and recover public money before criminal prosecutions conclude. Lengthy investigations, staff shortages, and sophisticated legal challenges often delay convictions, allowing questionable contracts and financial losses to persist. Existing powers offer alternatives: the Special Investigating Unit can pursue civil recovery, courts can suspend disputed contracts, and financial regulators can restrict activities or revoke licenses. In the 2025–26 financial year, court proceedings initiated by the unit resulted in contracts worth more than $1.5 billion being set aside. However, fragmented responsibilities, inadequate capacity, and failures to act on referrals undermine these mechanisms. Earlier intervention could limit public losses, improve service delivery, and strengthen trust in government, provided oversight institutions coordinate effectively and exercise their powers consistently.