ANC is Accused No 1 in corruption outrage — Ramaphosa

“Today, the ANC and its leaders stand accused of corruption. The ANC may not stand alone in the dock, but it does stand as Accused No 1.”

This was said by President Cyril Ramaphosa in a hard-hitting seven-page letter addressed to ANC members on Sunday.

The letter comes as reports on the looting of millions of rand meant to mitigate the effect of Covid-19 are published daily.

“This is the stark reality that we must now confront,” Ramaphosa said.

He called on ANC members to make this the turning point in the fight against corruption, saying the movement and the country were facing one of the greatest challenges since the advent of democracy.

He reflected on and acknowledged the growing anger of ordinary South Africans over the corruption allegations, saying the anger was justified.

“What has caused the greatest outrage is that there are private sector companies and individuals including civil servants who have exploited a grave medical, social and economic crisis to wrongfully enrich themselves,” he said.

This was an unforgivable betrayal for the millions of South Africans who were being negatively affected by Covid-19, experiencing hunger daily, hopelessness and joblessness.

ANC members must acknowledge that their party had been and remained deeply implicated in SA’s corruption problem, he said.

“We have to be sensitive to the concerns that are being raised by our people about our role as a movement in corrupt activities.”

Ramaphosa said the ANC had been in government on national, provincial and municipal level for more than 26 years.

This had meant that leadership positions in the party had been seen by some as the most direct route to, in the first instance, employment and, in the second instance, to influence in the awarding of tenders and the distribution of other government resources.

“We cannot then blame the people if they stay away from our branches, programmes and initiatives.

“Our lack of discipline and failure to deal with the issues in our movement have eroded our organisational ethos and standing,” he said.

“As we have seen during the Covid-19 response, there are local ANC leaders who have used food parcels meant for the poor to buy political favours from those people in the branch or broader community who they rely on for their positions.

“These practices quite literally take food out of the mouths of the poor.”

Ramaphosa said on a hugely different scale, but with the same effect, is the capture of state institutions by public interests facilitated by politicians and officials at the highest level.

“The Zondo commission reveals a disturbing level of grand corruption.

“The effect has been devastating.

“Billions of rand that should have gone to improved public transport, to better infrastructure for the poor, to reliable and affordable electricity, to emerging black farmers and to the broader development of our country have been stolen to line the pockets of a criminal few,” he said.

“It has caused huge damage to the economy and to the capacity of the state.”

Ramaphosa said he was not suggesting that corruption was only a problem of the ANC or that it was widespread among its membership or leadership, but that as a movement it had so far been unable to turn its organisational positions into actions that would end corruption once and for all.

He proposed that every cadre accused of, or reported to be involved in, corrupt practices should account to the party’s integrity commission immediately or face disciplinary processes.

He also suggested that:

• People who failed to give an acceptable explanation or to voluntarily step down while they faced disciplinary, investigative or prosecutorial procedures should be summarily suspended;

• The ANC should publicly disassociate itself from anyone, whether business donor, supporter or member, accused of corruption or reported to be involved in corruption;

• ANC leaders should be required to make regular declarations of financial interests;

• Lifestyle audits of all ANC leaders and public representatives be conducted; and

• A clear policy be developed on ANC leaders and their family members doing business with the state.

He also called for the strengthening of the integrity commission, saying it should be provided with clear administrative and legal support.

The president also called for lifestyle audits of senior public servants and leaders of public entities. — TimesLIVE