Corruption in South Africa

[gac]

Its encouraging to hear this sort of talk at a meeting of such high profile but talk just isnt good enough. All the speeches, regulations, code of ethics etc etc will not stop this scourge unless there is a deliberate & decisive effort towards identifying corruption and bringing those involved to justice mercilessly. The responsibility for implementing such a system is that of Government. Problem is that polticians are generally highly corruptible becuase of the power they hold and they would be denying themselves an opportunity of gaining substantial wealth if an effective system was implemented.

I dont think for 1 single second that the majority of politicians choose this "profession" out of a sense of duty to their country or because its a profession that they enjoy. Most do so because it is probably the easiest way in the world to enrich oneself and thats the bottom line. Its a stinky, evil career that can only become a "successful" one if one goes the corrupt way. There are a few exceptions of course and our dear beloved Madiba, I believe, is the best example of what a good politician should be. How I wish he was still in office and how tragic it is that he enters the twilight of his life watching how the majority of his comrades denegrate everything he and others fought so hard for in building the ANC. This is the thanks that he and his fellow freedom fighters, who gave up the majority of their lifetimes for the cause, get from the current generation. How absolutely tragic and sad it is. Its just wrong.

I suggest that the only chance of corruption ever being tackled meaningfully is to find a way that ensures that the balance of power of the (any) ruling party never be allowed to be dominant to the extent it has the right to do as it chooses. This point was proved in apartheid RSA and is being proved again in the "democratic" SA. The root cause of many of the challenges facing SA today, in my humble opinion, stems from the majority/dominant hold of political power. There needs to be a healtier balance of political power and we simply dont have that situation right now.

[wynn]

Well, you see, the reason is because why?
A person is innocent until proven guilty, and the department will use government funds to appeal any unsuitable decision right up to the constitutional court, financially outlasting you.

Get a mandamus, naming the person in charge and forcing the relevant authority to do their job, if they don't! have the person in charge arrested for contempt of court!!

When it gets personal, the job gets done!

[gac]

Ja Wynn, you make a valid point about the innocent until proven guilty stance. BUT I think the other way around has a WHOLE lot of implications I would rather not contemplate. Particularly for the ordinary man in the street. Example - can you imaine being locked up for drunken driving and then having to prove your innocence while courts are delayed, cases postponed etc. The possibility of bribery becoming an even greater scourge then arises etc etc. I think I prefer it this way, warts and all.

As a electorate weve just got to be more demanding and learn to boycott, toyi-toyi and demonstrate. Take a leaf from the Apartheid Struggle book on how to force change but previously "advantaged" south africans dont know how to do that collectively.

Its not easy to root it out but we should never give up and must die trying!

[Citizen X]

Well, Thomas Moore said it all, " Every man has his price!"

[gac]

Yup Vanash but what are your thoughts in turning that around.

A disturbing aspect is that C is a topic that appears to be uppermost in most folks minds, whether they admit it or not, and something they claim unless dealt with could well reduce SA to a has been country similar to that of nations to the north. Yet this view is seemingly contradicted by the apathy of the populus in making a determined and defiant stand against it.

Is prayer and handing it over to GOD the answer or does he expect us to do something about it as well.

The signals that Government has absolutely no intention of putting in place a set of measures that can stem the evil tide has been clearly demonstrated for all to see, but the people remain blinded by their own stupidity/naevity or whatever else one wants to call it.

Maybe you are spot on with the Quote. Just maybe we deserve what we allow ourselves to get!

[Butch Hannan]

It would be interesting to see whether the farm that was purchased by Mogothlhe and his cohorts is still productive. The previous owner no doubt had to raise his own finance to keep his farm going. Selebi was put away for 15 years for his amount of R130K. Just think how long this clown could be put away for the amounts involved. I am very cynical. At this stage they have most probably slaughtered the last beast for a big big party. Read my poem "The Gravy Train" on my blog.

[wynn]

The ANC must rediscover its “revolutionary morality” so that its leaders can be selfless, honest and live with integrity, Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) has said.

The ANC had to “fix its house before it landed on its head,” Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told 2 000 Gauteng shop stewards.

To do this, decent jobs, quality education, food security, healthcare and crime had to be addressed as a priority, he said.

“We are saying we have got to succeed in these areas, because if we don’t succeed we can no longer be a fountain of hope that the ANC has been for the past 100 years.”

Tenderpreneurs represented a serious threat to the working class and those who thought they had an “ordained right to eat on behalf of the masses” had to be isolated and exposed, he said.

“We don’t care who is involved. Don’t tell us we were together in Polokwane. We are not together in corruption.”

read more
http://www.citypress.co.za/Politics/...-Vavi-20120207

[gac]

The whole corruption matter regarding the R1billion tender awarded to Sekunjalo late last year is hotting up again and the latest update can be viewed at

http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/s...s-da-1.1234103

Chatting to 2 people very close to the action today, Smit Amandla Marine, the company that has successfully held this contract for the past 11 years and who successfully sought a court interdict to get access to bid documents and records, has uncovered evidence that places the Department in very seriously hot water. So much so that the State Attorney's office has requested a meeting with Smit's legal team to discuss what they (State Attorney) have called "a mess". The talk is that this award could only have been instigated at a very high national level and that staff within the Department have been given veiled instructions to zip their mouths on the issue.

Wonder who else is going to either resign, be transferred to another office or fall too ill to face the music. I can't wait for the next episode!

[Dave A]

I did a search for "culture of corruption" for TFSA, and while a few threads were candidates, this fairly old one seemed the most appropriate to add to:

A global perspective on corruption - Corruption getting worse, says poll

[Dave S]

[The final decisions on government tenders must be taken out of the hands of politicians, ANC president Jacob Zuma said on Friday.

"We must remove adjudication of tenders from those that hold political office. We must separate it," he said.

Responding to questions at a Cape Town Press Club breakfast he suggested a mechanism such as a tender board needed to be found to address this issue.

"That will go a long way to delivering a telling blow against corruption, at least in government."

Zuma said corruption was "all over" and causing anxiety in South Africa.]


And who is to select the "Tender Board" members, more corrupt politicians, perhaps?