OSHOEK – Communities living around the Oshoek Port of Entry have been urged to play an active role in the fight against corruption by reporting any fraudulent or unethical conduct they witness at the border.
This call was made by Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) Head and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) Acting Head, Leonard Lekgetho, during the BMIACF awareness campaign held at the Oshoek Port of Entry on Tuesday.
The campaign, which brought together border management stakeholders, government officials and community members, seeks to educate stakeholders about corruption, its consequences and the importance of taking action against fraud and corruption.
The initiative aims to promote a culture of integrity, accountability and transparency within the border management environment.Addressing attendees, Lekgetho stressed that public officials working at border posts should uphold ethical standards at all times. “It is important that officials do the right thing even when no one is watching,” he said.
He further encouraged residents living near the border to become partners in the anti-corruption drive by reporting incidents of bribery, fraud and other corrupt practices whenever they occur.
Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality Mayor also welcomed stakeholders attending the campaign and urged both officials and members of the public to refrain from engaging in corruption.She called on attendees to support the BMIACF’s efforts aimed at creating a corruption-free border management environment and strengthening public trust in border institutions.
Meanwhile, Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to rooting out corruption within border management structures.
Masiapato said the BMIACF was determined to clean up the border management environment by removing officials whose conduct tarnishes the reputation of the many employees who perform their duties with integrity and professionalism.
The awareness campaign forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen ethical conduct and improve accountability at ports of entry.
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