APA-Cape Town (South Africa) South Africa’s draft legislation is set to fight money laundering and other transnational crimes within the country and the community at large, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola has said in Cape Town.
The minister was speaking at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office for Southern Africa’s Anti-Money Laundering Week 2024 conference in the Mother City on Monday.
South Africa faced strong criticism from country’s partners for failing to fight money laundering and terrorism financing, leading the country to being grey-listed by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force last year due to its inadequate legislation.
Lamola said he was satisfied that the country had now done enough to address these concerns, including drafting legislative measures taken to fight illegal mining in the country’s communities.
He said the South African police were now arresting those involved in money laundering, international crimes and illegal mining.
The illegal mining was also affecting communities in the areas where the malpractice was being conducted in the country, the minister said.
“We are glad that the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the police says some of the assets of the kingpins involved in illegal mining have been seized,” he said.
He welcomed the presence of crime-fighting experts from all over South Africa, the region, and the world to fight transnational organised crime.
“We need two hands. We need the same level of sophistication to respond to transnational organised crime with the same level with which it is committed,” he said.
NM/jn/APA