Courage may turn corner on corruption

THE state capture commission or, to give it its full official title, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, is becoming compelling viewing. This week it was the turn of one of South Africa’s most skilled and committed former Cabinet ministers, Barbara Hogan, to give her testimony. She was summarily fired by then president Jacob Zuma. This week we heard why.

State capture, the industrial-grade looting of state resources to benefit a political elite, has defined our last 10 years. Its legacy, though, will be felt for far longer.

In that regard, it is much like apartheid – short in actual duration, but its effects, just like radioactive fallout will be felt for generations to come.

The state capture commission, too, is becoming much like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), fulfilling an essential need for all of us to understand how far the rot spread and why.

The TRC failed and we live with the legacy of that failure to this day.

State capture provides us with an opportunity, though, to actually expose this cancer for what it is, treat it accordingly and prevent a relapse.

To do that, though, we have to learn from the omissions of the TRC: the momentum must not be allowed to dissipate, the guilty must be brought to book – irrespective of who they were or the importance of the office they once held.

There have to be a legal consequence for society at large to understand that corruption and collusion will never be tolerated and anyone suspected of either will have a torrid time until they can prove their innocence.

We have a long way to go, but, thanks to the courage of individuals like Barbara Hogan and the recent extradition treaty with the UAE, the omens are good that we are turning the corner.