Corruption claims lives and sparks protest in Ekurhuleni

On Monday, 30 June, City of Ekurhuleni forensic audit head Mpho Mafole was shot and killed on the R23 highway near Esselen Park. It did not take long before his death was labelled an assassination.

Rumour has it that the forensic investigator had discovered what caused a R2 billion shortfall in the city’s budget.

In fact, it was not what, but who was responsible for the shortfall because of their illegal actions of deleting electricity charges on just over 1 600 municipal accounts.

And for identifying the culprits, he was killed.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions did not beat about the bush in describing Mafole’s death an assassination: “Mpho Mafole was assassinated. This was no robbery or random act of violence.”

Ekurhuleni’s biggest township, Tembisa, mobilised for a shutdown of the area yesterday.

ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni mayor to suspend electricity tariff hike after protests in Thembisa

The reason for the protest?

An electricity surcharge ranging from R110 to R204 per month for all households and businesses in the municipality – except for indigent households.

Is there a link between the R2 billion budget shortfall that led to the suspected assassination of the auditor and the introduction of the electricity surcharge?

No-one has officially made that link, but it does not take a rocket scientist to connect those dots.

The last time Tembisa went on what was then called a total shutdown, it resulted in severe destruction of municipal properties and infrastructure.

There was even a change in leadership at mayoral level because the then DA mayor Tania Campbell was accused of responding too slowly to the frustrations of residents, especially with regards to electricity tariffs.

ALSO READ: Thembisa protest turns violent: Ekurhuleni mayor calls urgent meeting as residents and police clash

Some of the municipal buildings and infrastructure that was burnt down because of those protests has not even been repaired and the city is back in the same standoff.

There is a reason a lot of people accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of being his usual self in appointing a commission of inquiry to investigate the alleged corruption in the ranks of the South African Police Service.

His usual self in that he wants a prolonged investigation, which is preceded by a period of inaction such as the one the country is in right now as it awaits the finalisation of the terms of reference for Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to begin his investigations and, even then, the outcome isn’t guaranteed to root out corruption.

There is nothing more dire and more pressing than the assassination of the lead corruption buster in a metropolitan municipality.

If Ramaphosa and his Cabinet are serious about fighting corruption, a R2 billion shortfall that results in the assassination of a top government official should warrant a response so immediate and severe that the country is left in no doubt about the seriousness of government in fighting corruption.

Residents can be blamed for using violence in ensuring that they are heard, but the truth is the people with all the power in the equation are those in charge.

ALSO READ: Soccer star’s ‘special treatment’ after deadly crash concerns grieving mom [VIDEO]

The shortfall in the budget – due to corrupt officials writing off electricity bills on accounts – is within the control of government.

Passing that on to residents as a surcharge is not only disingenuous, but it also simply gives criminals behind government desks the right to continue with their corrupt acts.

It is only when there are direct responses to the deaths of people like Mafole and Babita Deokaran that those who continue to loot government funds will think twice before doing it.

Justice for residents isn’t only when killers are convicted, it is ensuring that they do not suffer for the corruption of government officials.