Africa must rid itself of graft to progress

Why is Africa in penury but with such rich soil?

The story of any sovereign country is told by the way its public infrastructure and community facilities are developed. The quality of life of its people is manifested by such standards.

Because of the fallibility of humanity, no foreign country or continent can equitably build another country or continent except for its own sake. Colonialism taught us that lesson. Did we learn?

Last Thursday, Glencore was fined £276m (about R5.6bn) for bribes. More than $28m bribes were paid by the company to five African countries over five years up to 2016. The court that found the firm guilty of corruption was in the UK.

No African court prosecuted the entity. The UK fine is just miniscule compared with the loot and stolen future of the African generations.

Africa needs to rid itself of corrupt administrations by its own electorates. Establish institutions to train its inhabitants with the right skills – investment in human capital. Then build good infrastructure from the proceeds of its own processed minerals.

Thami Zwane, Edenvale