The ANC has never really had the political will needed to combat corruption effectively and it is really difficult to take President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statements about combating corruption seriously without seeing any decisive action or results. With the announcement of his R500 billion relief package on 21 April 2020, the President said, among other things, that he was “deeply disturbed and concerned” by reports of corruption during Covid-19, particularly with regard to the distribution of food parcels.
Later on, he said that action must be taken and he announced steps that included the Special Investigating Unit (SUI), the involvement of The Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other structures that will help to bring the guilty parties to book.
Why is this only happening now? The President himself admitted that the ANC is Accused Number One when it comes to corruption.
Extensive corruption in South Africa was sparked by the controversial Arms Deal in the nineties when billions of rand was stolen.
In August this year, with the announcement of the Commission consisting of six ministers tasked with investigating corruption, the Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, gave the assurance that decisive action will be taken as they possess the “political will” to combat corruption.
The same question is raised: Why now? Why do they only have the political will to take action against corruption now?
Popo Molefe testified before the Zondo Commission that he had submitted a comprehensive report on corruption amounting to billions of rand in Prasa to the ANC leadership in 2015 already. President Ramaphosa was part of this leadership.
Where was the political will then?
If the ANC really is serious about combating corruption, then a prosecuting authority with specialist investigators must be established and the President must ensure that the unit has access to all the money and resources it will need to eradicate corruption.
If this, however, does not happen then corruption will continue to flourish and everyone will suffer as a result, most of all the poorest people in South Africa.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Dr Pieter Groenewald on FF Plus
South Africa Today – South Africa News
