Time to take firm stand against corruption
THE time to talk is over, and South Africans now need courage to fight corruption the same way they had in the fight against apartheid.
Taking part in yesterday’s first of its kind multiple city anti-corruption march, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Thabo Makgoba, said: “Today those old leaders, who showed courage in the old struggle, have not only abandoned the concept of courage. Today they punish anyone who tries to uphold the principles of courage.”
He said South African leaders needed a “cold shower of reality to shock” them back to their senses.
“Aren’t we ready to fulfil our country’s destiny by showing the same level of courage that won our liberation from apartheid?”
Makgoba said it was President Jacob Zuma – along with national‚ provincial and local leaders‚ “and the business people who corrupt them” – who were “responsible for creating a historic era of sadness in South Africa”.
Makgoba was among thousands of civil society leaders, opposition political parties and ordinary South Africans who took to the streets of Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town to march to the Union Building, the Durban City Hall and parliament to speak out against corruption in South Africa.
Allegations of corruption by government officials are rife, including that:
● The investment arm of the ANC, Chancellor House, received improper payments from Hitachi relating to contracts to build two electricity power plants in South Africa. Hitachi paid $19-million (R262-million) to settle a US investigation into the payments. The ANC has denied receiving the payments.
● A recent anti-bribery and corruption survey released by ENS Africa labelled South Africa as one of the continent’s corruption hotspots.
● South Africa is embroiled in a US investigation which alleges the country paid $10-million (R138-million) in bribes in 2008 to secure the rights to the 2010 World Cup.
● Zuma stands accused of benefiting unduly from security upgrades to his Nkandla residence.
In Pretoria, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe accepted a memorandum on behalf of government, but in so doing bore the brunt of the anti-corruption crusaders who booed and chanted to drown his response.
Axed Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the movement was necessary to clean the country of “cockroaches that are eating at our moral fibre”.
EFF leader Julius Malema said the Union Buildings was the perfect choice for the march because: “We know that the most corrupt person in South Africa is found here,” he said.
In Cape Town, up to 2 000 people braved light drizzle to march on parliament from District Six led by religious leaders from various faith groups, including Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba and deputy president of the Muslim Judicial Council Abdul Khaliq Allie.
Trade union leaders led marchers in singing struggle songs, although the official turnout from workers was low because participation in yesterd march was not protected by industry agreements.
A list of demands was handed by march organisers to representatives of the business community and government outside parliament.
Police maintained a heavy presence but there were no incidents. —
● See Opinion, page 8