Zuma’s ANC can’t fight corruption

Editorials 2014 _ The Citizen

Zuma’s ANC can’t fight corruption

EDITORIAL

After the anti-corruption pledges in the ANC’s election manifesto were announced, it was fitting that the topic on eNCA’s The Big Debate this week should be: “Are we serious about tackling corruption?”


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That is a question we must ask repeatedly. The answer of course is no, we are not serious – if “we” are the ANC.

Although discussion on The Big Debate was lively, the elephant in the room was not mentioned.

While Jacob Zuma’s name came up, the issue of his 783 counts of alleged bribery was not explicitly raised.

The omission is significant. How can we, or the ANC or the government, be serious about tackling corruption when we all know he has used and continues to use every available resource to ensure he is not prosecuted on charges stemming from, but not limited to, Schabir Shaik’s conviction in 2005?

Zuma escaped prosecution, because in 2009 Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe dropped all charges.

Mpshe’s decision, based on an overturned Hong Kong judgment, is being challenged by the DA. Yet Zuma and his lawyers are thwarting at every turn the DA’s attempt to secure a judicial review.
They have blatantly flouted a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal by refusing to hand over the so-called spy tapes which Mpshe used to justify dropping the charges.

Against that background, part of Zuma’s pledge makes sense. He said the party will “require any ANC member or ANC public representative found guilty by a court of law to step down from any leadership positions, in the ANC, government and society”.



His trick is to avoid being found guilty. It is obvious that only those who have fallen out of favour are pursued.
Zuma’s ANC is too compromised to fight corruption.

Editorial - The Citizen