The report by the Special investigating Unit into corruption in the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) showed that action was being taken and the government was in earnest about dealing with malfeasance. This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa in his latest weekly newsletter.
Discussing the report and what it reveals about the state of procurement, he pledged that those implicated would be dealt with ‘harshly and appropriately’.
‘This,’ he said, ‘is a practical demonstration of our determination to deal decisively and swiftly with corruption.’
The president commented that the scandal had shown the need to close all loopholes to ensure that there was no ‘point of entry’ for corrupt people. He also said that South Africa needed a coordinated approach to corruption, bringing together various organs of state to combat it. He mentioned the work of the Fusion Centre – which draws together a number of state bodies that work in law enforcement – as an example.
In an upbeat conclusion, he wrote: ‘The experience has shown that, as a state and as a society, we have both the will and the means to act decisively against theft, fraud and corruption’.
The Institute has warned that defeating corruption will demand a thorough reworking of empowerment policy. In its current form, it allows racial considerations to mask political and personal connections. Furthermore, in the view of the Institute of Race Relations, until the overt and deliberate politicisation of the state is abandoned and replaced with strict meritocratic professionalism, no reform of institutions or processes will achieve results in dealing with corruption.