Media Statement: HSF Writes to the United States Department of Justice Asking it to Reinvestigate Bain

Last week, the HSF wrote to the United States Department of Justice, requesting that it take action against Bain & Company, the US-headquartered management consultancy company, for potentially breaching the antibribery provisions of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The letter makes clear that such action is supported by the findings of the Nugent Commission Report and State Capture Report. HSF asks the DOJ to disclose the nature and extent of its previous engagements with Bain and any decisions that it may have made regarding Bain’s eligibility for criminal prosecution. This approach to US authorities follows the unprecedented three-year ban imposed on Bain by UK authorities, prohibiting it from receiving any work from the UK Cabinet Office. The HSF believes that accountability for state capture crimes, and especially those relating to so integral an institution as SARS, must in the first place be implemented by South Africa’s own authorities. But the magnitude of harm imposed means that foreign jurisdictions, where they have the powers and capacities, must supplement and support South African attempts to enforce justice.

Read our letter here.

Media Enquiries:

Nicole Fritz
nicole@hsf.org.za