Transparency is key to fighting corruption, says Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa).The organisation has been at the forefront of fighting contentious matters such as Gauteng’s e-toll system and the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act and Aarto Amendment Act which has been piloted in the province.
Speaking during a webinar, Duvenage said more needed to be done to fight corruption – not just in the province, but across the country.“Many regard corruption as systemic in areas such as municipalities, licensing and tenders, while not entrenched in other areas.”Calling for citizens and business to become more active participants in the fight against corruption, he said it was important to hold government accountable and fight for open and transparent processes in the country.
Outa recently launched a high court application for the Aarto Act and Aarto Amendment Act to be declared unconstitutional.“While Outa believes that measures to improve road safety and reduce fatalities are urgently needed, we believe that the Act will not achieve this. Aarto was rolled out in Gauteng 10 years ago and failed spectacularly. Statistics do not support the claim that it will lead to a reduction in fatalities on roads,” said Duvenage.Outa has been working on issues around this legislation for years.
It was passed in 1998 after the idea was first conceptualised between 1994 and 1996. Aarto creates a single national system of road traffic regulation and enforcement through the judiciary. The Aarto Amendment Act, passed in 2019 but not yet in operation, moves the enforcement of traffic laws to an administrative system. When it comes into force, the Aarto system will be rolled out nationwide and the driver demerits points system will commence.
Duvenage maintained that while progress in effecting change in the country was slow, it was important not to give up hope. “Just because progress is slow it does not mean we must not take on these challenges.”
