CAPE TOWN - That South Africans seem to be more concerned about wrongdoing in how the funds meant to help the flood-stricken provinces recover from the disaster are spent than the actual devastation is a shameful indictment of this administration’s lack of will to tackle corruption.
It proves the opposite of what President Cyril Ramaphosa promised when he first assumed the highest office in the country, as corruption has found a home in his administration even when people are suffering the most.
We need not remind you of how comrades and their associates feasted on PPE contracts, because that point has already been made in our previous editorials.
However, what is clear and quite encouraging this time around, is that South Africans have found their voice and are saying “no more”.
It is hard to downplay the calls for the relief funds to be handled by organisations with a proven track record such as the Gift of the Givers, when no convictions have been secured for those who looted the money meant to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a “functioning” country, the head would not only be worried about his/her administration being constantly marred by allegations of corruption, but would be contemplating resigning and allowing those with the will to act to lead, but not here.
Political patronage leads to greater rewards.
Although sounding like a hopeless bystander, Ramaphosa himself conceded the fact that his government is not to be trusted with funds from the public purse, when he said in his address on Monday: “It will be critical, as we undertake this work, that all the resources we mobilise are used for their intended purpose and reach the intended recipients. There can be no room for corruption, mismanagement or fraud of any sort.”
It is shameful that citizens should be worried about this, especially those who lost their loved ones in this disaster and desperately need to rebuild their lives. Already there are reports that water meant for the poor was diverted to the private home of KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala when hundreds of people were desperately waiting for the water tanker.
This disaster presents yet another opportunity to scrutinise how this government responds to the crisis, so that come 2024, South Africans will be armed with enough “ammunition” when making their mark.
Cape Times