Photo by: Duane Daws
Software giant SAP on Thursday said it had voluntarily disclosed its breach of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in relation to allegations its South African operation paid kickbacks to a Gupta-linked company.
In a statement on its website, SAP said it has initiated disciplinary procedures against three employees.
Adaire Fox-Martin, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, who leads SAP’s business in Middle and Eastern Europe (MEE), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Greater China, said: “As a global company with a commitment to integrity and compliance, the past three months have been humbling for us.
“The allegations of wrongdoing in our South African business have had a profound impact on our employees, customers and partners, and on the South African public — and we apologize wholeheartedly for this.”
The admission allegedly relates to paying a bribe to a Gupta-linked company to secure a lucrative contract with State-owned enterprises.
SAP said it has “initiated disciplinary procedures against three employees and made significant changes to its global sales deal processes”.