April 18, 2022

South Africa’s Corruption Nemesis


Trustworthy and indepth news stories are more important now than ever.
Support our newsroom by MAKING A CONTRIBUTION HERE

A recent report highlights the urgent need for South Africa to implement reforms to combat state capture, reverse institutional decay, and restore confidence in the constitution. The biggest obstacle is the ruling African National Congress, which is beset by factional infighting.

JOHANNESBURG – On January 2, South Africans woke up to the news that the country’s parliament building was on fire. Just days later came the release of an 800-page report detailing rampant corruption and poor governance in South Africa. Then, several glass doors and windows were shattered at the Constitutional Court. It was an ominous start to the year for a country still mourning the loss of its “moral compass,” Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The report – the first of three expected from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, known as the Zondo Commission after its chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo – confirmed what was long suspected: State capture is rampant in South Africa. Systemic political corruption benefited the influential Gupta family, for example, as well as a range of facilitators in the country’s civil service and ministries.

The report reveals patterns of abuse at almost every stage of public procurement. When professionals in government departments or state-owned enterprises resisted, they were replaced with more compliant officials. In the commission’s view, South Africa needs an independent anti-corruption agency that can perform its functions without fear or favor.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who campaigned on a promise to fight corruption and improve governance, has declared that the Zondo Commission’s findings should be used to help the country reform its institutions and hold those responsible to account. “We must ensure that we use [the findings] to safeguard these institutions into the future so that they may never be captured again,” Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly newsletter.

But statements from other members of the ruling party, the African National Congress, were not as resolute. Speaking to community and religious leaders in a rural province shortly after the release of the report, Deputy President David Mabuza was evasive on the steps government would take. “We are committed to do a thorough reflection, and we are going to change,” he said.

But “reflection” could fall short of accountability. ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe has said that he opposes using the report to prosecute party leaders. The ANC’s stance, coupled with weakened state institutions, has led to skepticism about the government’s ability and will to act meaningfully on the report’s recommendations.

The mixed reactions to the commission’s report must be viewed in the context of the ANC’s internal battles. As the party prepares for its National Elective Conference in December, factional infighting is more pronounced than ever. Ramaphosa, who is expected to run for a second term as party leader, faces stiff competition from the Radical Economic Transformation faction, and will need to balance his political aspirations, the needs of the party, and the long-term interests of the country. It will be difficult to implement the recommendations of the report without doing permanent damage to the ANC’s reputation.

Moreover, South Africa’s constitutional democracy faces threats beyond the corruption revealed by the Zondo Commission. As the report notes: “State capture aggressively attacked a system which was already weakened by longstanding comorbidities,” including high levels of inequality, poverty, and unemployment.

Given this state of affairs, the events of early January, like the riots and looting last July, should come as no surprise. While they may not have been part of a coordinated effort to destabilize the country, they are clear symptoms of democratic decay.

Some have seemed to embrace the disease. In a recent commentary, Lindiwe Sisulu, the minister for tourism and a member of parliament since 1994, questioned the benefits of the “rule of law” and called the country’s constitution a “palliative” for the poor. Sisulu’s comments were denounced as a further attack on South Africa’s democratic institutions. But it is true that the political freedoms contained in the constitution were meant to be accompanied by measures to reduce economic inequality, which is the world’s highest. Twenty-eight years of democratic rule have brought negligible progress on this front.

The constitution represents a social contract among all South Africans. The democracy it envisions requires the support of ordinary citizens and political leaders alike. But the rights it guarantees depend largely on the state.

In February, South Africa faced a second assessment by the African Peer Review Mechanism, a voluntary arrangement established by African Union members, on the state of its governance. This evaluation suggested credible reforms, offering another opportunity to reflect on the serious problems that have come to light.

South Africa needs bold and decisive action to restore confidence in institutions like the National Prosecuting Authority, to professionalize the civil service, and to strengthen transparency norms. The constitution’s ideals must be put into practice. A good way to start would be to act conscientiously on the recommendations of the Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.

Cayley Clifford is a researcher in the African Governance and Diplomacy Program at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

The text has been adapted from Project Syndicate website

We can't do quality journalism without your support

Perhaps it goes without saying — but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue are declining, The Chronicles remains committed to "Serving Your Right To Know The Truth". Stand with us as we document Rwanda's remarkable journey for you and the future generation. Do you value our journalism? We can't do it without you. Show us with your support by CONTRIBUTING HERE.
Email your news TIPS to info@chronicles.rw or WhatsApp +250788351327.
You can also find us on Signal

115 Comments

  1. I absolutely love your blog and find most of your post’s to be what precisely I’m looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content for yourself? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome weblog!

  2. Wonderful website you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Bless you!

  3. Thank you for any other informative web site. Where else may I am getting that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I have a challenge that I am simply now operating on, and I have been at the glance out for such information.

  4. You’re so awesome! I don’t think I’ve read something like this before. So great to find someone with some unique thoughts on this subject. Really.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality!

  5. Hey there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when viewing from my iphone4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to fix this problem. If you have any suggestions, please share. With thanks!

  6. I just like the helpful information you provide on your articles.
    I’ll bookmark your weblog and test once more here regularly.
    I’m relatively certain I will be told plenty of new stuff right here!

    Best of luck for the following!

  7. I am curious to find out what blog system you happen to be working with? I’m experiencing some minor security problems with my latest website and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any suggestions?

  8. Thanks for the marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you could be a great author. I will make sure to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back in the foreseeable future. I want to encourage you to continue your great writing, have a nice morning!

  9. Hmm it appears like your website ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any suggestions for first-time blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

  10. Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results. If you know of any please share. Thank you!

  11. Simply want to say your article is as surprising. The clearness on your post is simply excellent and i can think you are a professional in this subject. Well together with your permission allow me to grasp your RSS feed to stay up to date with drawing close post. Thank you one million and please keep up the gratifying work.

  12. I have seen that fees for internet degree pros tend to be a great value. For example a full Bachelor’s Degree in Communication with the University of Phoenix Online consists of 60 credits from $515/credit or $30,900. Also American Intercontinental University Online provides a Bachelors of Business Administration with a full school element of 180 units and a cost of $30,560. Online studying has made taking your diploma been so detailed more than before because you can easily earn your own degree from the comfort of your dwelling place and when you finish working. Thanks for all tips I’ve learned through the site.

  13. Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website
    before but after reading through some of the post I
    realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be
    book-marking and checking back often!

  14. Howdy! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when viewing from my iphone. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to fix this problem. If you have any suggestions, please share. Cheers!

  15. Hey there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same subjects? Thanks for your time!

  16. Hi there this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  17. Hello there! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
    Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure
    things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure where to start.
    Do you have any points or suggestions? With thanks

  18. Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The text in your content seem to be running off the screen in Chrome. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The layout look great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon. Many thanks

  19. Wonderful goods from you, man. I’ve take note your stuff prior to and you’re simply too great. I really like what you’ve got here, really like what you’re stating and the way during which you assert it. You are making it entertaining and you still take care of to stay it sensible. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is actually a wonderful site.

  20. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!

  21. We are a gaggle of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with helpful information to work on. You have performed an impressive process and our whole group shall be grateful to you.

  22. Good day! I know this is kinda off topic however I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog article or vice-versa? My site discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to send me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!

  23. Howdy! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Many thanks!

  24. Hi would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a difficult time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!

  25. Hi there this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding knowledge so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  26. Can I simply say what a relief to find an individual who really knows what they’re talking about on the web. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More and more people should read this and understand this side of the story. It’s surprising you’re not more popular since you definitely have the gift.

  27. Хотите получить идеально ровный пол в своей квартире или офисе? Обратитесь к профессионалам на сайте styazhka-pola24.ru! Мы предоставляем услуги по устройству стяжки пола в Москве и области, а также гарантируем доступные цены и высокое качество работ.

  28. I believe what you postedwrotesaidthink what you postedtypedbelieve what you postedwrotebelieve what you postedtypedsaidWhat you postedwrote was very logicala lot of sense. But, what about this?consider this, what if you were to write a killer headlinetitle?content?typed a catchier title? I ain’t saying your content isn’t good.ain’t saying your content isn’t gooddon’t want to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added a titleheadlinetitle that grabbed a person’s attention?maybe get people’s attention?want more? I mean %BLOG_TITLE% is a little plain. You could look at Yahoo’s home page and see how they createwrite post headlines to get viewers to click. You might add a related video or a pic or two to get readers interested about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it could bring your postsblog a little livelier.

  29. Hey I am so happy I found your weblog, I really found you by error, while I was searching on Google for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a remarkable post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I dont have time to browse it all at the minute but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the excellent jo.

  30. Эффективный, быстрый и качественный процесс ремонта это то, что мы предлагаем в виде механизированной штукатурки на mehanizirovannaya-shtukaturka-moscow.ru.

  31. First off I want to say terrific blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I have had a difficult time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips? Thanks!

  32. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. kudos

  33. I think this is one of the so much important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. However wanna statement on few basic things, The website taste is great, the articles is in point of fact nice : D. Good task, cheers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *