We’re not all corrupt and lazy, says protesting govt officials

Staff from the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) took to the streets of Pretoria on Thursday to protest against graft and create awareness of the anti-corruption drive within the government.

Thursday marked the 18th International Anti-Corruption Day since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October, 2003, to raise public awareness of the issue.

The protesters were joined by Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele and head of the Special Investigating Unit advocate Andy Mothibi as they chanted and cheered at motorists travelling along Frans Baard Street in the city.

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Media officer for the GCIS William Baloyi said the protest was initially just for the GCIS staff.

But Gungubele and Mothibi joined “because there was a post-Cabinet briefing by the minister where we told him what we were going to do and he said ‘let me join you’ and also invited the SIU”.

Baloyi said the impression had been created in the public domain that all public servants were corrupt and rich.

“Some of us are poor as church mouses and want to work,” Baloyi said.

The protesters handed out pamphlets with information on how to report corruption to the SIU and how to report a matter to the public protector.

Gungubele said corruption was sickening and one of the worse crimes.

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“I’m making a call and expressing appreciation for the civil servants who have decided to be part of this because civil servants are the public servants who are managing these funds,” he said.

Gungubele said those people who were in the supply chain were at the centre of stopping corruption.

“This is a call to all of our politicians to follow what the public servants are doing,” he said.