The South African Interdepartmental Committee on Corruption was appointed in October 1997 to consider proposals for the implementation of an anti-corruption campaign at national and provincial levels. The Committee recommended in its report that the Cabinet consider establishing an independent and centralized anticorruption agency. A key issue in the anti-corruption debate in South Africa concerns whether or not to improve the effectiveness of existing bodies tasked with an anti-corruption mandate, particularly in terms of investigation and prosecution, or whether to replace these institutions with a single anti-corruption agency. This paper explores these options in a number of ways. First, it examines the politics of anticorruption controls and the establishing of broad criteria for successful and effective anticorruption agencies. Second, it looks at international models, particularly Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption. Third, it addresses the context in which the South African debate is occurring, with a focus on the Heath Special Investigating Unit. Finally, it considers the key issues, advantages, and objectives of coordination, so as to assess the most viable approach for the future. 46 notes