Fraud and corruption pose a serious threat to economic development as it creates instability in public institutions and goes a long way in undermining the law, democratic values and society at large, the North West Premier, Prof. Tebogo Job Mokgoro said during and anti-corruption and ethics road show hosted in Brits on Friday.

Mokgoro who interacted with residents in Brits and Letlhabile, said the living condition of people will not improve if fraud and corruption are allowed to flourish in public institutions.

“The effects of rampant fraudulent behaviour and corruption by those that have been given the mandate and task of overlooking public institutions, lead to poor service delivery, inefficient use of allocated resources and negatively affects the standard of living of the people who are meant to receive quality basic and life improving services,” he said.

Stakeholders who were part of the roadshow included the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

“Fraud and corruption have become one of the biggest hindrances to economic and social development. Africans who have been on the receiving end of corrupt governments have been the hardest hit because of economic decline, lack of basic services and misappropriation of allocated funds because fraud and corruption have the ability to weaken the same social and economic foundations on which growth is dependent,” Mokgoro said.

He urged communities to partner with government and report incidents of fraud and corruption to relevant bodies, in order to root out the scourge of fraud and corruption currently experienced.