Lessons for SA from the Zondo commission

Corruption is a deliberate and determined plan that is intended to commit a morally wrong act in order to fulfil one’s selfish gain at the expense of a considerable section of the population.

Whoever is seduced and subjugated by it, their conscience is defunct and in utter disdain of the rule of law.

Fear of losing their personal reputation is absolutely trivial, as is fear of a long prison sentence and even death by firing squad.

They suffer from something for which there is no rehabilitation: the deification of personal status that is dependent on crass materialism. It feeds off illicit monies that must be expended in deluxe hotels and the latest fast cars and expensive outfits. They would rather perish than lose this illgotten lavish lifestyle. These attitudes, behaviours and tendencies are vividly reflected at the Zondo commission of inquiry, as well as the way procurement of PPES was handled in 2020. All these nefarious activities are carried out with utmost obduracy by so-called prominent people in society, who in fact are assured of their monolithic monthly salaries.

Amid this dreadful status quo, poor voters continue to be kicked in the teeth with a commonplace refrain: VOTE MY PARTY. YOUR LIVES WILL IMPROVE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

What a deception!

Corruption is a far worse silent killer than Covid-19; it is a form of genocide, and President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to declare it “enemy number one of the people”.

Its only vaccine is continuous protest actions and stayaways by vigilant civil society whose message has to be taken seriously: DEATH TO CORRUPTION. IT IS EVIL. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Firing some people whose political appointments were controversial in the first place is not impressive, it is just a duplicitous strategy of public relations to fluster those who are not vigilant.

It is time for our citizenry to realise it indicates no political will of any kind. It is only a smokescreen to perpetuate this vicious cycle of patronage.

Given this state of emergency our country is engulfed in, a special resolution should urgently be debated and passed by parliament that the National Prosecuting Authority must update the nation on a quarterly basis about criminal cases at their disposal.

Most importantly, when do the alleged culprits appear in court?

— Tony Cyril Mtintsilana, King William’s Town