Hard to believe Ramaphosa’s very familiar-sounding promises

President Cyril Ramaphosa has repeatedly said corruption will not be tolerated.

He did so again on Monday night when trying to reassure the nation about funds intended for flood disaster relief in KwaZulu-Natal.

“There can be no room for corruption, mismanagement or fraud of any sort,” he said, adding that lessons had been learned from the Covid pandemic.

Sound familiar? On 13 May, 2020, announcing a R500-billion package to combat the pandemic, Ramaphosa said Cabinet was “determined and committed … to make sure that the funds that are dedicated to our coronavirus response are not wasted and are not stolen”.

Ja, well. The looting spree infected his Cabinet and office, along with ANC-run municipalities, provinces and government departments.

Also Read: May R499m Covid hospital be a lesson for KZN donations

Last week, KZN premier Sihle Zikalala pledged that government officials would not take advantage of disaster relief funds.

Recent declarations of honesty have been undermined by images of Ramaphosa and Zikalala touring disaster sites accompanied by Zandile Gumede.

Also Read: Corruption-accused Zandile Gumede re-elected eThekwini chairperson

Fresh from her election as ANC eThekweni regional chair, Gumede looks delighted to be at the same disaster scenes as Ramaphosa, whose supporters she defeated in an internal poll.

Corruption-accused Gumede’s elevation, in defiance of the ANC’s step-aside rule, is a deliberate snub of his attempts to clean up the party.

On Monday, there were allegations that disaster relief was already being distributed on a partisan basis, with people being killed and food parcels stolen.

There were reports of ANC councillors commandeering water trucks and one of these being taken to the premier’s private residence.

Also Read: Sihle Zikalala explains why a municipal water tanker was servicing his home

This was countered by assertions that the home was a base for community service in the area. Professor Jonathan Jansen tweeted that he’d sooner believe a schoolboy saying a dog had eaten his homework.

But even if the premier is being truthful, his judgment is faulty. He knows he must avoid any hint of corruption. He should rather have arranged for the water to be delivered at the nearby community centre.

Conflation of party and state is common in the ANC. Councillors see no problem taking taxpayer-funded resources and distributing them as if they come from the party.

This habit will need to change if Ramaphosa and his government are ever to overcome their trust deficit.

For example, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) has launched a KZN disaster relief fund.

Proceeds will be handed to Gift of the Givers.

Also Read: Gift of the Givers intervenes in KZN floods

UJ vice-chancellor Professor Tshilidzi Marwala said: “People will ask, why them? The reason is very simple, we don’t believe that government has the capacity to handle funds.

“This is from the lessons we learnt from the disappearance of Covid-19 funds. So, Gift of the Givers, as a trusted entity, would be a good one.”

Few people believe disaster funds will be corruption-free. And declaring a national, rather than provincial, state of disaster opens gates for more money.

One of many memes to emerge was a pack of hyenas. Pictures and ANC actions speak louder than Ramaphosa’s fine words.