The breath-taking and sordid exposés of the widespread corruption involved in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for Covid health protocols has exposed the lie that the ruling party consistently peddles: that corruption is perpetrated by a few ‘rogue’ elements within the party.
ALSO READ : Better Business Basics: Real transformation is needed
I say this because the preliminary investigations carried out by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and other agencies has revealed a startling similarity in the modus operandi of the perpetrators, across national, provincial, district and local departments and municipalities, almost all controlled by the ruling party.
The rapid registration of companies with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), flawed or non-existent SARS clearance certificates, massive overcharging and advance payments are all features common to the malfeasance, which points to an organised, well-practised enterprise to loot and plunder – ignored, or abetted at the highest political and administrative levels.
The stunning revelations that some of the highest-ranking SAPS top brass have been arrested in connection with procurement irregularities amounting to hundred of millions of Rands can only serve to enhance the sense of despair and hopelessness felt by the ordinary citizen.
If the very same guardians of our country’s precious resources have been infected by the virus of corruption, who else can we turn to for salvation as a country?
To say that the country is suffering from a pandemic of corruption would be no understatement.
The infiltration of corruption into all strata of society, government and business has led to the perception that ‘business as usual’ must include some sort of unethical behaviour.
It harks back to the days when European companies wrote off bribes as a legitimate business expense for trading in Africa.
The resignation that is evident in people attempting ordinary civic transactions (IDs, birth certificates, driver’s licences), that some sort of ‘sweetener’ is required for the processing civil servant, over and above the official tariffs, is an alarming fact.
If services to the most vulnerable in our society such as hungry children at schools and frontline health workers defending us against a pandemic can fall prey, the sense of helplessness that engulfs us can be understood.
As the Sunday Times describes it in its Daily Edition dated October 14 2020: “When it comes to public servants robbing from the people they have sworn to serve and protect, we should be as appalled, outraged and disgusted as if we’d just stepped knee deep into a sewer full of rotting rat cadavers.”
The absolute moral fibre of our society has been obliterated, and it is going to take a concerted and sustained effort to claw our way out of the sewer we find ourselves in.
* Vijay Naidoo writes in his capacity as CEO of the Port Shepstone Business Forum. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.
After matriculating, Vijay Naidoo studied Economics in the UK. Upon his return, he joined the family construction business as MD for 10 years.
He subsequently joined his sister in their furniture manufacturing business as director for quality assurance and operations. He was responsible for all quality aspects of their products, and led the project to the business achieving an ISO 9000 quality accreditation. As an export focused business, this was important for our international competitiveness.
Mr Naidoo has an abiding interest in quality management and productivity improvement, particularly in manufacturing.
More recently, he has focused a lot of his time on giving back to the community by way of mentorship of small businesses and sitting on the executive of the South Coast Chamber of Commerce. He also sits on the Board of the Ugu South Coast Development Agency.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
