Arrests will help restore hope

THE DRAMATIC arrest of seven people linked to the corrupt awarding of contracts by the Department of Correctional Services to Bosasa is a clear sign that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has turned over a new leaf. The move serves to reassure citizens and financial markets that the new NPA head, advocate Shamila Batohi, is ready to crack down on corrupt officials in the public and private sector.

The seven high-profile individuals who appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday were charged with fraud, money laundering and corruption. They include former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi, whose testimony at the Zondo Commission of inquiry shocked the country.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the arrest formed part of alleged misappropriation of R1.6 billion in the tender processes for the procurement of various services by the Department of Correctional Services.

While the arrest will clearly send a positive message, the taxpayers and the international investors will want to see the Hawks going after senior political figures within the ruling party who have figured in corrupt dealings.

It will not serve the interests of the country to let the commission wrap up its business before criminal proceedings are instituted against the suspects.

Going after politically-connected individuals like former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni, and politicians such as Nomvula Mokonyane and Vincent Smith, will signal the government’s intention to deal with corruption decisively.

Such moves will serve to restore hope at a time when there is nothing to be hopeful for. PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is under pressure from opposition parties and civil society to clamp down on corruption in his State of the Nation address.

Parties and civil society yesterday said that despite other failings of the government, a crackdown on corruption must top Ramaphosa’s agenda in his Sona today.

They did not mince their words that not only officials must be arrested, but they want top politicians implicated in the Zondo Commission of inquiry into state capture and other corruption to be arrested and axed from Cabinet.

The DA, National Freedom

Party, Cope and African Christian Democratic Party also warned of a weak economy and said Ramaphosa must come up with a plan to rescue the country.

While Ramaphosa is expected to deliver a blueprint for the country he is also expected to announce the date for the elections.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa said last week the date for the polls will be announced this month.

Ramaphosa is expected to announce the date today.

The president is also expected to outline a plan to deal with the issue of state-owned entities.

Eskom is sitting with a debt of R419 billion, SAA needs R21.7bn to stay afloat for the next two years and the SABC needs a bailout of R3bn.

Ramaphosa is expected to announce the unbundling of Eskom. A task team, set up by Ramaphosa, has recommended that Eskom be split into three entities, one dealing with generation, the other one distribution and the last one with transmission.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has said the unbundling of Eskom has to happen within a month.

Opposition parties said they want Ramaphosa to fix the economy and deal with corruption.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said SOES were bleeding the state with billions of rand in bailouts.

The government is sitting with R670bn in guarantees to SOES.

Maimane said the entities remained a risk to the economy. He also urged Ramaphosa to deal with unemployment as nine million people were unemployed in the country.

He said state capture has unravelled the depth of corruption in the Anc-led government.

ACDP leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe said Ramaphosa has been under pressure from the public to act on corruption and he must do so now.

“There was pressure from the public that the commissions of inquiry are a waste of time. We are not going to take the president seriously unless he arrests ANC politicians involved in corruption. When the Gupta jet landed at Waterkloof airbase (in 2013) it was the officials who were blamed and not the politicians,” said Meshoe.

National Freedom Party MP Nhlanhla Khubisa said Ramaphosa must deal with corruption.

The economy was also important because of the high unemployment rate. Khubisa also warned that the health care system was almost in a state of collapse.

The school infrastructure was in a state of disrepair, and Ramaphosa has to intervene, said Khubisa.

Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem said the economy was in a dire state. He said Ramaphosa must deal with corruption that appears to have spread across all departments.

“The first thing we are expecting from the president is how he is going to deal with corruption in this country. There is not a single department that is not involved in corruption,” said Bloem.

Head of Politics at Unisa Dirk Kotze said Ramaphosa must address the state of the economy and ramping up service delivery.

The economy has been projected to grow at about 1.3% this year.

Kotze said the issue of jobs and restructuring the economy were key.

He also said Ramaphosa must deal with the question of fixing ailing SOES, and progress made in getting equity partners for some of them including SAA.