ANC serious about fighting corruption – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has insisted that recent developments by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) shows that the government, and in extension the African National Congress (ANC), are serious about fighting corruption.

Speaking at the closing of the ANC’s three-day national executive committee (NEC) meeting, Ramaphosa said that “the SIU has made tremendous progress in helping us address the spate of corruption that has been happening and has been spreading.”

He added that the SIU reports “are demonstrating that we are serious in fighting corruption,” and “will be acted on.”

Just last week, the SIU laid bare their first report on an at least R2.3 billion looting spree at Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng. 

At the centre of one of the three identified syndicates is allegedly run by Ramaphosa’s nephew, Hangwani Morgan Maumela, with the SIU found to have looted R816.56 million.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit seized assets worth R325 million from Maumela, including luxury cars, houses and a boat a week prior.

In the water sector, the SIU’s investigation into the Department of Water and Sanitation’s “War on Leaks” program revealed systemic maladministration, with expenditures ballooning from an initial R2.2 billion to R4.7 billion.

A notable irregularity includes R1.7 billion paid to Rand Water, which involved R40 million in unsubstantiated “contingency fees.”

Furthermore, the SIU’s probe into COVID-19 procurement found that over R7.8 billion was misappropriated from the R152.5 billion allocated for pandemic-related tenders.

The investigation covered less than 10% of the total expenditure, revealing that 62% of the 4,549 contracts examined were irregular.

“Corruption corrodes competitiveness,” said Ramaphosa. “We are therefore committed to consequence management, lifestyle audits, and the strict enforcement of integrity standards across the public sector.”

Ramaphosa said that professionalisation and merit-based appointments are non-negotiable, noting that strong institutional governance is essential for the success of these initiatives.

The ANC’s NEC has decided to establish an economic war room within the presidency. Its role will be to coordinate performance monitoring across all government departments and release regular progress scorecards.

According to a report by Transparency International, South Africa showed a “worrying trend” on a world corruption-tracking index, dropping by three points since 2019 to a score of 41.

This places South Africa in the bottom 90 of 180 countries.

ANC accused number one

During the Covid-19 looting spree, Ramaphosa warned that the party’s reputation was undermined and its support was being eroded by officials who abused their positions for personal gain.

“We have allowed corruption to continue and, at times, to flourish within our ranks,” Ramaphosa said in the letter, the first such appeal he ever addressed directly to the party’s rank and file.

“The ANC may not stand alone in the dock, but it does stand as accused No. 1. This is the stark reality that we must now confront.” However, critics argue that talk has not turned into action.

Former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said that he was pained to swear in corrupt Cabinet ministers who had serious state capture findings against them

Rampant corruption was revealed during the hearings before the commission chaired by Zondo that was established in January 2018.

About 1,400 individuals were implicated during the commission. It exposed corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, State Security Agency, Eskom and SABC, and called for prosecutions, further probes and systemic reforms.

Zondo said that more than 30 years after democracy, corruption has reached crippling levels. Yet, those involved still occupy critical seats at the table.

“It was like the president was saying, ‘I don’t care what you have found about these people. I think they are good enough to be promoted’,” Zondo told the Sunday Times.

“The recommendations that were made were based on evidence that was led transparently, when the whole nation was watching. We are defending the report because we believe it is sound.

“But yes, I had to swear them in, remembering what I found against them,” Zondo said.