JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ? NOVEMBER 23: United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa at the annual Nelson Mandela lecture at the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 23, 2019. The lecture was a platform on which Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng spoke about the critical social issues within South Africa at the moment. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)
ANC corruption: Holomisa suggests dissolution of government executive
Bantu Holomisa suggests a caretaker government made up of civil society, be established until the 2024 elections to fight ANC corruption.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ? NOVEMBER 23: United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa at the annual Nelson Mandela lecture at the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 23, 2019. The lecture was a platform on which Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng spoke about the critical social issues within South Africa at the moment. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)
United Democratic Movement (UDM) President Bantu Holomisa, on Wednesday 5 August, released a statement suggesting a new way to iron out corruption within the African National Congress (ANC). This comes after another flurry of recent corrupt incidents within the government.
Holomisa suggested that a caretaker government, comprising a judiciary and civil society be established, while the existing government executive is dissolved.
DISSOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
Holomisa said the governing party is incapable of rooting out corruption.
Looking at a more drastic approach, Holomisa said South Africans should consider and debate over the dissolution of the executive arm of government. He also suggested that it be replaced by a caretaker government until the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
“Such a structure could be composed of representatives from civil society and the judiciary; with no political component. Parliament must be kept in place to play its crucial oversight role,” said Holomisa.
“Resuscitating our economy should be at the top of such a caretaker government’s agenda, as well as a review of the Chapter 9 institutions and addressing our collapsing infrastructure and waste management, our country is dirty,” he added.
ANC CONTAMINATED BY CORRUPTION
Holomisa said the ANC has been contaminated by corruption since Sarafina II.
“It can’t stop itself. Why not have a caretaker government, of civil society and judiciary (no politicians), until 2024 elections? Also, develop special laws 4 corruption and recovery of stolen monies,” he said.
In a statement, he carefully listed incidents of corruption in South Africa. Following Sarafina II, he named the Arms Deal, Oilgate, Travelgate, as well as the Chancellor House/Hitachi deal.
“Then it was Transnet, Prasa, VBS, PIC, relationships with the Gupta family and most recently the alleged corruption involving the R500 billion COVID-19 relief fund,” he said.
“Tenderpreneurship, (ab)using ties with family and friends is certainly not new. South Africa has reeled from one scandal to another and the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) saw nothing wrong and has for years, allowed the comrades in corruption to perfect their craft,” he said.
“Now suddenly, the ANC NEC woke up to the idea that even if it’s legal to benefit at a suffering peoples expense, which has been its primary defence in the past, it is unethical,” he added.
Holomisa asked how people can believe Ace Magashule when he says his party is “outraged and deeply embarrassed” by acts of corruption allegedly committed by some of its members and leaders in COVID-19 procurement across the country.
