CAPE TOWN, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a special tribunal to fight corruption, his office said on Sunday.
The establishment of the tribunal is occasioned by the need to fast-track the finalization of matters that the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) refers for civil litigation following conclusion of their investigations, the presidency said in a statement.
These are matters where the SIU would have referred to civil litigation contracts entered into by state institutions to be declared irregularly invalid or set aside, according to the statement.
Fast-tracking these matters through the special tribunal will enable the SIU to recover money or assets lost by state institutions through irregular and corrupt means, presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said.
This will ensure that those who are responsible for the loss of money or assets by state institutions are held accountable, said Diko.
The litigation process includes both public and private-sector persons and entities, according to the presidency.
The powers and functions of the special tribunal are to adjudicate upon any civil proceedings brought before it by the SIU in its own name or on behalf of a state institution or any interested party as defined by the regulations, the statement said.
It said such civil proceedings will be based on the outcomes from SIU investigations.
Judge Gidfonia Makhanya will act as the first president of the tribunal comprising seven other judges for a period of three years, the statement said.
Corruption scandals have haunted South Africa for long, implicating former president Jacob Zuma and a number of senior government officials.
Since taking power last year, Ramaphosa has repeatedly stated that fighting corruption will be one of his priorities.
