What happened to selflessness?

THE revelations that controversial facility management company Bosasa installed high-tech security systems at the homes of high-profile ministers and government functionaries as possible “bribes” to get lucrative state contracts is gravely worrisome.

Our public servants, especially those as senior as ministers, should be driven by the principle of selflessness and clean governance in the prosecution of their work.

They should also have compassion for the people they serve and seek not to act in any manner to enrich themselves or their families.

It would seem these virtues, which are essential to running a caring and efficient government, are foreign to some in our political elite, if newspaper reports are correct that Bosasa was able to patronise senior politicians and officials in government to score multibillion-rand government contracts in the last 10 years.

The corruption of the soul of our civil servants continues to be one of the biggest problems of successive administrations. This has led to stealing of public resources desperately needed to uplift the poor from a life of squalor to lining the pockets of unscrupulous businessmen and rogue politicians.

The erosion of virtues of selflessness in government is also robbing the poor of the promise of our democracy – that of a better life for all.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s rise to power was premised on fighting corruption and ushering in a new dawn.

The new dawn will not be realised with ministers and officials like these.

Ramaphosa ought not turn a blind eye to such examples of corrupt behaviour.

Ordering an investigation into the activities of Bosasa, especially its dealings with politicians responsible for government departments in their line of business, could help to lift the lid on possible graft that the company and civil servants are involved in.

If the new dawn is to be realised, Ramaphosa will do well to infuse virtues of selflessness and compassion among civil servants.