Sep 19, 2010 2:55 PM | By Sapa
An anti-corruption commission had to be established to fight corruption in South Africa, the Afrikanerbond said on Sunday.
Bodyguards try to stop reporters and photographers from getting close to disgraced former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi outside the Johannesburg High Court when he sought eave to appeal against his conviction on corruption charges.
"South Africa's tax revenue is seen by politicians and civil servants as a personal ATM [automated teller machine] with self enrichment as their only priority," Afrikanerbond chairman Pieter Vorster said at the organisation's Eastern Cape regional meeting in Cradock.
He said that, according to Transparency International, South Africa was 54th out of 180 countries when it came to international perceptions of corruption in 2008.
"Billions of rands have been channelled to the personal accounts of politicians and public servants and very little has been done to stop the tide. It is time for drastic action."
Concerted action against corruption in several countries, including emerging economies, by their own, independent anti-corruption commissions had led to an improvement on their positions on the World Economic Forum's global competitiveness report and on Transparency International's barometer on perceptions of corruption, said Vorster.
"In these countries, politicians and public servants involved in corruption have been investigated and prosecuted without fear or favour and the success of these countries has helped in recovering investment confidence."
He said the fight against corruption, mismanagement, nepotism and fraud would be won not by acting only with preventative measures, but with investigative and prosecuting capabilities too.
The establishment of special anti-corruption courts and a free and independent media would play a major role in fighting corruption.
"In South Africa, such an independent commission must also be tasked with depoliticising the public service, as political appointments create the ideal breeding ground for corruption," said Vorster.
He said the establishment of such a commission would require the necessary political will and would require the recognition that South Africa was essentially a systemically corrupt country.
Times Live
Comments by Sonny
Who is this convicted criminal Jackie Selebi anyways?
Just a corrupt Police (ANC) State to the free world, we'd say!!
Where was the ANC during his trial and conviction?
With an Anti-Corruption Commission, there would be no ANC!
No comments:
Post a Comment