SWIFT LEGAL SOLUTIONS

LOBBYING vs CORRUPTION The Resolve allegations have again brought this strangely unattended modern challenge to the forefront in South Africa. Lobbying is generally a good thing, corruption is not. How do we tell them apart, especially in a country where corruption is a business model for some. We have a few blunt tools that try to do the job. PRECCA I suppose would be the best example here. The Political Funding Act and public service codes of conduct could be added to the short list. What we need, especially with our history, are the modern tools that work so well elsewhere. In some of my consulting work I have seen the surprisingly good results that a mandatory lobbying register (dealing with clients, meetings, minutes etc) can bring about. Transparency laws such as those found in Chile, France, Canada, Ireland etc. should be in place, without much opposition. These are not that difficult to design or to police. Could political will to close this unnecessary loophole, a practice that potentially does great harm to public interest and democratic principles, be at fault?