ANC puts focus on fighting corruption
battles to fight attempts to change the country’s Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation,” Kriel said.
The two payments that Malema and the EFF made to AfriForum last Thursday, and on November13, were to settle cost orders that had been issued on September 12, 2017, and February18, 2018, respectively.
Malema and the EFF were appealing against the interdict that AfriForum obtained against them on March 7, 2017, while the two cost orders of November 14 last year must still be taxed, AfriForum said.
The five cost orders stem from the court case that AfriForum brought against Malema and the EFF last year to obtain an interdict to prevent them from inciting people to occupy land illegally.
The Northern Gauteng High Court found in AfriForum’s favour on March 7, 2017, and granted the interdict with costs.
Malema and the EFF then brought an application to have the interdict set aside, which would have been heard on September12, 2017.
However, the Court had to postpone the case after Malema and the EFF submitted their heads of argument in their own case too late.
The judge consequently granted a punitive cost order against Malema and the EFF.
When the case resumed on February18 last year, Malema and the EFF’s legal representatives failed to appear, and the case was settled in AfriForum’s favour and a further cost order was issued against Malema and the EFF. THE ANC has put the fight against corruption at the centre of its manifesto as it goes into campaign-mode before May’s general elections.
In its manifesto, launched in Durban on Saturday, the party said corruption had negative consequences for the economy and society.
“Ethical and moral leadership in the private and public sector will be critical if our collective fight against corruption is to succeed,” reads the manifesto.
The ANC said it was committed to cracking down on corruption and state capture.
“We will comprehensively fight corruption, combining both prevention and punishment.”
The party also said it would actively promote the culture of integrity throughout the state, society and within itself.
“We will ensure that leaders and members of the ANC and broader movement and those entrusted with public responsibilities are uncorrupted, honest and self-disciplined with clear values who can resist moral pressures.
“We will not tolerate practices that harm the public interest.”
The ANC, under President Cyril Ramaphosa, has set up various commissions and instituted investigations over the past year.
The party also committed to strengthening law-enforcement agencies, oversight in Parliament and
Kallie Kriel
legislatures and helping municipalities improve financial management, service provision and infrastructure development and maintenance.
The ANC said it would strengthen the criminal justice system to recover stolen public money, speed up the implementation of lifestyle audits and strengthen legislation barring civil servants from doing business with the state.
While delivering the January 8 statement, Ramaphosa said the ANC would intensify its fight against corruption in the government, in the ANC and across society.
“Members of the ANC, working with communities and various sectors of society, should expose corruption and state capture, understanding that our efforts will be met with resistance by those who are the beneficiaries of these practices,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that they would also expose corruption in the private sector.
“There should be nowhere to hide for those who steal from our people; no matter who they are or what positions they occupy,” he said.
On public institutions, the governing party said it would continue implementing measures to safeguard the independence of the judiciary.
Institutions supporting democracy would be supported and provided with resources.
There would be a strengthening of intervention in the governance of state-owned entities and security agencies.
Ramaphosa noted that some civil servants’ indifference to the needs of citizens had led to a deterioration in the quality of services rendered.
“Civil servants must serve the people of our country with commitment, diligence, humility, respect and honesty, and make sure that they are effective agents of transformation.”