SA at bottom of the rubbish heap, as local government masters the art of corruption

As the day to honour icon Nelson Mandela approaches, will there ever be an objective investigation into how and why our country was allowed to slide ever-deeper into chaos, lawlessness, and corruption?

We were once united and filled with hope, but no more.

local governments have mastered the art of corruption

SA is a shell of what it once was as anarchy, mayhem, and murder have become the order of the day. We have truly been led to the bottom of the rubbish heap.

Successive ministers have divided us and destroyed our hopes. In the process, they have driven our country into an ever-deepening crisis that threatens to tear society apart.

Some government ministers have refined the art of corruption and dishonesty and there is no end in sight on how they execute their plans to bankrupt the state’s coffers.

It is said that people follow the example of their leaders. Nowhere is this more evident than when we look at our municipalities and the manner in which local government is exercised.

Given that so many of those who sit in positions of power at national level have been fingered in corruption, this ought not to come as a surprise.

Despite the findings of the Zondo commission and the fact that senior government officials are implicated in corruption, the government nevertheless continues to appoint them to positions where they have control of money.

Recently, a senior member of the ruling party, accused of corruption, was appointed to co-chair the committee to oversee the KZN disaster spending.

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Although this defies all logic, it provides important get-rich quick guidelines for those at local government.

This model of ensuring corruption remains well entrenched has been adopted at the level of local government.

Our municipalities have become equally infested with corruption as budgets simply disappear and then reappear in private bank accounts.

Ultimately, the country, and in particular the voters and their families, bear the brunt of these municipal locusts that have embarked on a financial feeding frenzy.

They have learned that corruption pays at national government level so why not let it pay at local government level?

After all, there are no consequences for thieving. The hollowing out, mismanagement and misdirection of local government and municipalities is a source of great popular anger and frustration.

The spectacular failings of municipalities, despite billions of rands being pumped into their bank accounts to keep them going, is surely cause for both alarm and concern.

Our municipalities are bankrupt, close to collapse and about to implode.

Service delivery is a word that carries little to no meaning as people protest and riot on a daily basis against the lack of services.

Municipal buildings are torched and, as there are no longer working fire brigades, the buildings simply burn to the ground, never to be rebuilt.

Instead of seeking better employment, municipal workers go on strike and cause irreparable damage. Elections at local government level have become a farce.

At this level of government, deals are struck between opposing political parties to ensure they support and vote for one another so they can remain in power.

And still we allow this as we continually vote for them. Yet, local governments and municipalities run on money.

Ratepayers pay their ever-increasing rates and taxes in the hopes that municipalities will spend such income wisely.

Infrastructure of all sorts requires money to build, maintain and effectively manage. Sadly, the revenue stream is not used for this. Instead, it goes “elsewhere”.

Senior party members at local government level have, like their colleagues at national level, been fingered for corruption.

Embezzlement is rife and seems to be part of their job description. Their wealth portfolios grow by the day. As does their arrogance, entitlement and failure to do their jobs.

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They have developed deception and thievery into a fine art. When municipal officers blow the whistle on corruption or make changes to the banking or financial services systems, they are hounded, transferred, and even threatened by fake police.

Those who believe they alone are entitled to pull the strings to corrupt and erode every aspect of municipal governance do not tolerate any interference that can see their corruption neutralised.

Systematically, residents are rising up and venting their anger and frustration at what is unfolding. In turn, it appears that the ongoing incompetence and corruption carries the silent blessing from those in national government.

This approach to local governance has resulted in uncontrollable crime and run-down inner cities infested with filth.

The roads are crumbling and pothole-strewn and traffic lights often simply don’t work – and haven’t for months.

We truly ought to be ashamed of our local government and municipalities – but we aren’t.