VIJAY NAIDOO: Good Business Basics – No ‘innocent bystanders’ in government malfeasance

In the discussion around the cancer of corruption and malfeasance infecting our country, most overlooked are those I will call the ‘innocent bystanders’. These are the officials, mainly of good moral standing, who feel duty bound to stand by the person responsible for their appointment, even when this principle exhibits significantly less moral standing than them in deed, thought or action.

Let’s begin with the infamous R3,9-m swimming pool built as part of the lavish upgrades to President Zuma’s Nkandla family compound that was hastily designated a ‘fire pool’ as public outrage emerged. Who will forget the video that was produced, starring senior ministers Nhleko (Police) and Nxesi (Public Works) at the time, energetically demonstrating how the pool would be part of the firefighting infrastructure at the complex? Along the way a bevy of deputy-ministers, and the standing police commissioner were called on to make stout defense of the clearly indefensible. Though these events occurred in 2015, many of these individuals, regarded as fairly upstanding, remain associated with this debacle.

Turning to more recent events, who would have thought that the ‘Phala-Phala scandal’ involving millions of stolen, undeclared US dollars from President Ramaphosa’s game farm, would draw in so many senior luminaries, in various government service institutions. We’ve had SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter (appointed by the President in 2019) pronouncing on the President’s tax compliance, Governor of the SA Reserve Bank Lesetja Kyanyago presenting a widely excoriated report exonerating the President from any exchange control infractions, and finally acting Public Protector Koleka with her report also finding the President innocent of any wrongdoing in the matter. In her case, should she be appointed as the Public Protector, her appointment will always be tainted by perceptions of ‘doing her master’s bidding’.

Then there are those forced to present solutions the State has come up with when it has painted itself into the proverbial ‘corner’. Hence we have Justice Minister Lamola trying to convince everyone that the Special Remission Dispensation that was enacted a day before Zuma was finally declared a free man was not done to favour one individual, but to relieve an overcrowding issue that has been ongoing for many years.
In forcing, or ‘encouraging’ heads of institutions to act in defense of their positions of power, or to extract themselves from untenable situations, leaders are displaying the height of selfishness. Giving no thought to the tainting of entities and their leadership, that should sit at the apex of moral rectitude, purely for absolute self-interest and preservation is indefensible.

But should we expect anything less from politicians, especially those at the top of the tree?

Vijay Naidoo is the CEO of the Port Shepstone Business Forum. He writes in his personal capacity. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.

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