Telkom launches platform to report graft

TELKOM is launching a new multichannel whistle-blowing platform to enable the public to report acts, or suspected acts, of fraud, corruption and irregular conduct within the organisation.

The country’s third-largest network operator said the channels were part of the group’s ethics and corporate governance mechanisms to ensure that Telkom remained a corruption- and fraud-free organisation.

South Africa was recently ranked 69th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2020.

Telkom said it had partnered with safe-line service provider Advance Call to launch the #Vulumlomo | Speak Up anti-fraud and corruption campaign to encourage the public anonymously to report acts, or suspected acts, of fraud, corruption and irregular conduct.

Telkom’s group executive for safety, security and forensics, Dr Pat Mazibuko, said addressing fraud, corruption and irregular conduct was an endto-end process where they expected everyone – employees, members of the public, suppliers and customers – to report any incidents.

“Reported acts will be investigated regardless of any individual’s position within the organisation,” said Mazibuko. The hotline will apply to all Telkom subsidiaries and business units: Telkom Consumer, BCX, Openserve, Telkom SMB and YEP.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ “Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey 2020”, the value of economic crime increased in South Africa, while the rate of reported economic crime decreased for the first time in 10 years last year.

The percentage of organisations that experienced economic crime had significantly declined in 2020.