As a steward of public funds, accountability and ethical standards have long been a cornerstone of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA).

Image credit: Acting CEO, Mpolai Nkopane
“We recognise the importance of protecting the public funds with which SHRA is entrusted from fraud and corruption so that all our available resources are used for the purposes for which they are intended,” reveals Acting CEO, Mpolai Nkopane.
SHRA, an agency of the Department of Human Settlements, is tasked with providing good quality, subsidised rental accommodation to the upper end of the low-income market.
International Fraud Awareness Week – or Fraud Week – takes place between 14 and 20 November 2021. It was first established by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) in 2000 to raise awareness about fraud. The week-long campaign encourages business leaders and employees to proactively take steps to minimise the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and educations.
This year SHRA has registered as an Official Supporter of International Fraud Awareness Week and will play its part to promote anti-fraud activities during this period.
“SHRA has always adopted a culture of integrity, openness and fairness,” says Nkopane. “Similarly, we expect our Council and all of our employees at all levels to adopt the highest standards of honesty, propriety, personal integrity and accountability and to be vigilant in ensuring that any irregular transactions or behaviour are immediately reported.”
SHRA has a zero-tolerance policy regarding fraud and corruption, she adds. The organisation’s Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy, first introduced in 2016, details SHRA’s approach to the prevention, detection and management of fraud and corruption and includes a code of conduct, human resources policies and procedures, whistle blowing policy and risk management policy, amongst others.
The policy also details the environment and culture the SHRA Council and management are encouraged to create. This includes providing training around how to detect fraud and corruption, awareness of the internal controls in place and where to report suspected fraud and corruption.
“Our efforts to control fraud and corruption is focused on three areas: structural strategies, operational strategies and maintenance strategies,” says Nkopane, adding that these strategies are regularly reviewed and updated, and all employees and stakeholders are made aware of its overall Fraud and Corruption Policy and Strategy through various awareness and training initiatives.
Nkopane says one of her goals while at the helm of SHRA is to foster a culture of accountability. “There is a great deal of good we can do through our social housing initiatives. Fraud and corruption, however, is a risk that we make every effort to guard against as it threatens to undermine the positive impact, we are able to have.”
SHRA’s anti-fraud hotline number is a toll-free line. Members of the public are encouraged to report any incidences of fraud and corruption relating to SHRA on Anti–Fraud Hotline: 0800 111 670 e-mails: shra@tip-offs.com