For too long we have watched the unscrupulous ANC government loot from our people unashamedly. It is only a morally bankrupt leadership that can consistently, for decades, fail to adequately address cases of rampant corruption that are paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of poor South Africans who are struggling to make ends meet due to the government-imposed lockdown.
Initially, the lockdown was endorsed in March 2021 as the coronavirus was relatively unknown, and curbing the spread was a priority. However, true to form, the ruling party and its sticky fingers found their way to funds that were raised to cushion struggling citizens from a struggling economy that was now forced shut.
From the PPE scandal that had the presidential spokesperson at the heart of it, the case of the misappropriated R500-billion Covid-19 relief package and the minister of health’s Digital Vibes, there seems to be no stopping the corruption train of the ruling party. The bulldozer of corruption continues to steamroll over vulnerable citizens and masks looting in the form of exorbitant rate hikes that are tantamount to squeezing blood from a stone.
Unashamedly, our existing government swindles money that is meant to save lives. In the case of eThekwini municipality, residents are squeezed to the core in the form of electricity hikes to the tune of 14.59% and the introduction of an irrational infrastructure levy of R1.50/kl that is effective from 1 July 2021.
Transferring the burden of corruption and incompetence seems to be the order of the day. During this 14-day Level 4 lockdown that will undoubtedly wreak more havoc and devastation on the lives of struggling citizens, the residents of eThekwini are expected to miraculously raise R1-billion over the next three years to fund infrastructure maintenance. This is a new low for the corruption-ridden eThekwini Metro— it has an astronomical budget of R52-billion, yet is uninterested in addressing service delivery issues.
Despite a budget that supersedes that of the province, in eThekwini there are pipe bursts that leave water running in the streets for months, the historically black locations still have health-hazardous asbestos and the aloof ANC councillors and officials fight internal battles through the soliciting of bodyguards. These are paid for by struggling ratepayers.
It is abundantly clear that South Africans deserve far better than the prevailing situation meted out to us by the ruling party. The answer lies in ActionSA as the only political party that is actively endeavouring to involve ordinary citizens in government and places them at the forefront of the mission to unseat the self-serving ANC government and replace it with people-centred ActionSA.
Our country is lacking in ethical leadership and key posts in government are compromised due to cadre deployment that illustrates a narrow-minded government that is willing to line the pockets of a few at the expense of the South African people.
The lack of respect for the rule of law is precisely why our indecisive president has failed to dismiss corrupt individuals in his administration and only responds to public pressure. It was only through public uproar that Khusela Diko was given leave of absence — and it was the same game with Minister Zweli Mkhize. Even so, the blatant disregard for the rule of law is glaring and the inability to have public officials held accountable remains. Why are they forced to take a leave of absence? Why not resign and step down once you have brought your office into disrepute?
What is more frightening is how the ANC factional corruption battles are not only collapsing our state-owned enterprises, but also polluting the minds of citizens and besmirching even the Public Protector’s office and the judiciary. The ANC has become a demolition excavator pulling down the pillars of our budding democracy, reducing it to private economic interests with manufactured public consent.
To the eyes of the general public, South Africa’s State Capture is a double-sided story. On the one hand is Gupta State Capture/radical economic transformation and Black Economic Empowerment. On the other is the “Stellenbosch Mafia”/Afrikaner Broederbond-driven so-called White Monopoly Capital State Capture.
Unfortunately, despite her outstanding performance while Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela’s choice of career path has landed her on one side of the State Capture divide. Accepting the professorship position at the University of Stellenbosch regrettably feeds assertions that her work was never for the public, but for narrow Stellebosch Mafia/White Monopoly Capital economic interests.
Juxtaposed with that is Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s ruling on Ace Magashule’s Estina dairy farm scandal and her report’s revelations on donations to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s successful 2017 ANC presidential victory.
South Africans, whose private economic interests and therefore the ANC’s factional corruption battle is the Public Protector or the judiciary on?
These are questions that the legacy of the ANC will never be able to address. However, through the application of pressure that has yielded these small victories, South Africans have proven that they are ready to take their country back.
We need to fix the ailing education system and end the Bantu Education of 1953 vintage. We need to promote the base of bilingualism with the English language as the primary or common medium of instruction and one of the other 10 official South African languages as compulsory.
In linguistically homogeneous provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, the English and isiZulu languages must be compulsory. We need to design a system that promotes mathematically wired culture that not only produces students who cater for the needs of the labour market, but thinkers and entrepreneurs.
We need to eradicate the governing party corruption that has closed this economy and seen unprecedented job losses. We need to create a job for every household and this can only happen through the collaboration of people from all walks of life. DM
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The only article worth reading in DM in the last 7 days. Forget Zuma. He’s a has-been. But the ANC is still ruling, looting, failing SA. The biggest criminals are right in Lithuli House.
Too true, Loot Freely House
Those who believe that there really is WMC are being fed a fanciful narrative. The only monopolies are some SOE’s ironically. Secondly, it is in the country’s best interests to have world class businesses that are at scale which allows us to compete internationally.
If you area conspiracy theorist then the collapse of education might be viewed as a deliberate means of keeping the masses ignorant so that they can be manipulated politically ?
While the lady accurately critiques the ANC for its manifold failures, she makes several unsubstantiated claims. In particular, she uncritically references a so-called Stellenbosch mafia and she simply asserts the superiority of ActionSA. The ANC stays mainly in power because opposition politics is just too fractured to make a break through. And the fracturing is not so much due to differing policies, as to prima donna leaders. Parties such as the UDM, IFP, Good, COPE, ActionSA etc exist because of their leaders, not their policies. Our system ensures that leaders get better parliamentary salaries, a staff allocation, offices, etc. They have little motivation to merge with others. We, the electorate, need mechanisms to force these little parties to merge, both to the left and the right of the ANC. I predict that the ANC will retain power until opposition splintering ceases — and that might be only when Jesus comes again.
Correct summation. One would have expected a little more sophistication from someone of dr Khoza’s stature. ActionSA has a number of solid brains around and could have made inroads by applying them efficiently. It can be a breakthrough if they start approaching the rest of the smaller larties with the aim of pulling forces. ASA has the moral highground. Just start dellivering.
Exactly, small political parties proliferate in this country simply because there is money to be made and usually only for the top person / people. Goodness knows what the erstwhile mayor of Johannesburg would do to the country, leave it just as dysfunctional as it is but too expensive to live in. Right now South Africans can’t see the difference between what we have and what should be simply because no politician can communicate a vision for anything any different. Should we settle for the same thing done more efficiently?
That is a reply to D Kourie.
As opposed to state capture and the whole sale corruption of the state in the last 20 years, WMC the way it is portrayed, was just a construct created by the RET faction. Of course there is a large amount of wealth from the past that we need to question, but WMC is just a myth to protect corrupt ANC cadres.
Correct. Both terms, RET and WMC were fabricated by Bell Pottinger and paid for by the Gupta’s (using stolen money.) At least Bell Pottinger paid the price, but a large proportion of our society still believe them.
Dr Khoza should join a reputable political party – if there is one – and make a difference – one swallow does not make summer – she deserves much more
The ANC’s mentors were typically atheistic communist overlords. In the words of George Orwell in his seminal “Animal Farm” all pigs are equal, but some pigs are more equal than others.”
This is typically a hallmark of the ANC – the elite insiders. There are very few of the ethical leaders like Thambo left. The ANC has visibly become merely another criminal gang, no better than the 28s and the rest.
Consider KZN and the political war that has been ongoing since the 80s and particularly in the 90s. Now that is increasing.
Carte Blanche has recently published a video on their YouTube channel about the KZN assassinations. Mind blowing.
There is no such thing as democracy in our country, not as long as we have players like the ANC, EFF and SACP.
Cry the beloved country.
The shameless self-plug aside, we need more allies in the fight against the ANC.
‘….South Africans deserve far better than the prevailing situation…’ no truer word spoken Makhosi ! What is it about the South African electorate that keeps them voting for a political party that not only has blatant disregard for their well being but openly lines its own pockets at their expense. So agree we deserve better but we also need to do better!!
Makhosi – I was interested in what you wrote, until this ” … despite her outstanding performance while Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela’s choice of career path has landed her on one side of the State Capture divide. Accepting the professorship position at the University of Stellenbosch regrettably feeds assertions that her work was never for the public, but for narrow Stellebosch Mafia/White Monopoly Capital …”. Suddenly it seems that you are racist. Shame on you.
As for the rest – I totally agree that the anc is the one and only cause of the demise of SA. Corruption and thievery is part of their DNA and it will never be eradicated.
Agreed Gerrie, it stuck in my throat also.
“Makhosi Khosa for President!” We need the likes of you to stand up to the ANC and Government. And yet the majority will still vote ANC, how to enlighten them ?
How can you propose Makhosi Khosa for president. A woman who is too blind the appreciate the courage and actions the first public protector showed and took?
This would be a worthwhile article if it wasn’t penned by the same person who buckled in the face of the ANC and EFF to inflict the current Public Protector on unprotected South African! What a hypocrite!
Perhaps some facts can help folk place themselves more realistically. J Steenhuizen explains the EXTENT of the turn-around in the Kouga district since the DA took from the mob-led ANC. Not just pot-holes and pipes stuff, but eg, projects to help traumatised communities get a grip onto some hope for their own futures. Type that into your Google search window…NOW.
The DA heads up 5 municipalities in RSA. These occupy the ranked TOP 5 positions of clean municipal audits nation-wide. Type THAT into your Google search window and read.
The Western Cape built WESGRO, a provincial organisation aimed at raising development capital for that province. They did not go abroad! They sourced R4 billion from West Africa! Type that in similarly – and read. Much was spent on taxi transport upgrades.
The DA negotiated with an AGRICULTURAL UNION – “what!?” you might exclaim. Yes, and they raised over 180 000 jobs over time. Type THAT one in!
The DA has taken 82% of buildings run by its provincial Dept of Works, off the national e-grid, & reduced carbon footprint& H2O usage hugely!!
…et fli-ppin al!
What is this woman on about? …and I hear/read she has a Ph D?? Dumb!! …and suspiciously, is she racist?
The DA is the only party in RSA which expressly claims and promotes non-racialism, and are damnedly good at municipal & provincial governance – repeat: municipal & provincial governance.
There will never be peace in RSA until the majority accepts, unconditionally, non-racialism.
Yes but…
nothing.
You’re 100% spot on. The DA has the capacity, vision and track record of fixing the disasters created by the ANC.
I guess there are still too may people who believe that the colour of one’s skin is of much bigger importance than job creation, service delivery, hard stance on corruption, viable, clear, logical and well thought out policies, and so much more.
Absolutely agree
Thank goodness I live in Cape Town where things work
Expensive city but money used as well as possible
Not stolen
Great, great comment. I am sooo tired of the DA being hammered in the media. The DA is the only party to get the country out of the mess we are in. It is ridiculous/insane that we have 50+ opposition parties – surely they can all join forces, forget egos and vote the ANC out.