Experts critical: Ramaphosa ‘skirts impact of graft’

Against the backdrop of an ineffective ANC integrity commission and as the department of public works grapples with the issue of 4 000 government employees doing business with the state and another 4 000 police officers face disciplinary cases, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s New Year address fell short of addressing rising corruption, political experts say.

Ramaphosa maintained there was ’cause for hope and optimism’

Despite the many challenges South Africa faces, Ramaphosa maintained there was “cause for hope and optimism” in his televised speech.

“We are making progress in the fight against corruption, including bringing those responsible for state capture to justice.

“We are putting in place laws, institutions and practices that reduce the potential for corruption,” he said. “To build communities that are safe and secure, the South African Police Service has established specialised task teams to tackle organised and violent crime, as well as crimes of economic sabotage. To bolster our fight against criminality, we have trained and continue to train thousands of new policemen and women.”

30 years since democracy

The year 2024 marks 30 years since democracy and “freedom ushered in enormous changes in our country”.

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These, said Ramaphosa, included:

• Nearly nine out of 10 households living in formal dwellings;

• Close to 95% with access to electricity and eight out of 10 households having access to water – either inside their dwellings or in their yards; and

• Dramatic growth in the proportion of young people getting education, with improved matric pass rates and a much greater proportion of adults having completed high school.

“This is a country that is moving ahead with determination and purpose to steadily reduce the poverty that we inherited in 1994.

“Just as we continue to work to overcome the legacy of our past, so too will we rise to meet our current challenges of unemployment, poverty, crime, gender-based violence, rising food prices and a severe electricity crisis,” said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa glossed over the impact of corruption

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana and University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said Ramaphosa glossed over the impact of corruption and how government would address it.

“In the next few months, towards the elections, the ANC is unlikely to do much in addressing corruption,” said Swana.

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“ANC veterans like Mavuso Msimang have said that if people are implicated in the Zondo commission, they should be removed from the list of candidates to serve in legislatures, after the integrity commission has reviewed their cases.

“The ANC integrity commission has not been effective for a very long time because it has no integrity itself. It cannot be trusted by anyone.”

Swana added: “In the department of public works alone, [former minister of public works] Patricia de Lille has gone on record saying there were 4 000 government employees doing business with the state – which they are not supposed to do.

“Very recently, Police Minister Bheki Cele said there were 4 000 police officers with pending disciplinary cases – spanning several years and not yet finalised.

“There are a number of people implicated in the Zondo commission. Auditor-general, Special Investigating Unit and Public Service Commission reports who should be removed from the state.

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“That cannot be done within the next nine months by the ANC because the party is run by kleptocrats – predatory elite and organised crime syndicates.

“The voters know what to do in the 2024 polls and the new and smaller parties are going to become beneficiaries. It will be interesting to see the hegemony of the ANC neutralised.”

Henwood said Ramaphosa was not realistic and not sticking to the undertakings he had given on numerous occasions to fight corruption. “The governing party will go all out to distance itself from its record of poor governance and leadership, blaming everyone for the problems it created.”