Government run by thugs for thugs?
AS A CONCERNED citizen, my question is: is South Africa transforming into a government of criminals by the criminals for the criminals?
Beyond institutionalised criminality and corruption, where is our country heading? Instead of institutionalising the rule of law, it seems to be moving toward a government where the corrupt have a free run.
Some of the factors that cause poverty are the ruling and business elite. The ruling elite lacks the kind of philosophical ideological vision and orientation that is committed to developing a progressive society.
Corruption is nothing but a reflection of the distribution of power within societies.
The country is where it is because the political system is self-perpetuating and no party is accountable to anyone except a coterie of people who dominates all decisions.
Unless the political system is accountable, going after individual cases of corruption will achieve little. Corruption is a crime against humanity and amounts to a gross violation of individuals’ rights and freedoms.
It is important to appreciate that corruption is a complex economic, political and social problem that can only be tackled through a multi-dimensional and multifaceted approach.
It was Thomas Jefferson who once said: “A government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.”
Corruption has entered into every single phase of our lives becoming all-pervasive, similar to the air we breathe.
It is on the increase in huge proportions and there is barely any sphere of social, political or economic activity that is free from graft, fraud, and corruption of some kind.
It is now regarded as a fact of life and an immorality, which is inseparable with, and which we have to live with throughout all endeavours in the name of politics.
To quote Shakespeare: “Oh, judgement, thou art fled to brutish beast, and men have lost their reason.”
Do your homework diligently, and vote wisely on election day. FAROUK ARAIE Johannesburg