ramaphosa covid corruption apartheid

Photo: GCIS

COVID corruption ‘has roots in apartheid’ – Ramaphosa on ANC looting

Cyril Ramaphosa says the wave of COVID corruption ‘has roots’ in the apartheid regime, in a letter he sent to fellow ANC members on Sunday.

ramaphosa covid corruption apartheid

Photo: GCIS

Cyril Ramaphosa has reacted to the public fury regarding the COVID corruption, which he says has ‘infected’ South Africa. The president has penned an open letter to all members of the ANC, telling them to stand against those who have exploited the pandemic for personal gain. However, the ANC leader also linked the state-sponsored looting spree to the ills of apartheid.

Will the ANC do anything about ‘looting frenzy’?

Ramaphosa’s letter was comprehensive and lengthy. He has vowed to take action following his words and revealed how the ANC would implement plans to hold corrupt members to account. He also took the time to defend his own administration, which is often accused of ‘falling flat’ in tackling these clandestine crimes.

The president claimed victory in cleaning-up Eskom’s rot, and hailed Transnet as a ‘reformed business’. However, he also put part of the blame on the apartheid regime for this recent spate of COVID corruption.

Ramaphosa says apartheid ‘partly to blame’ for COVID corruption

As we saw from an Eastern Cape MEC last month, pointing the finger at a bygone era doesn’t always get the public onside. Ramaphosa went down a similar route, and he’ll be hoping these words don’t come back to haunt him. The head of state reasoned that the ANC has ‘inherited’ corrupt political practices from the apartheid government – an excuse that is likely to raise eyebrows on Sunday:

“Corruption has infected the state, undoing the gains of the past 26 years. While the current allegations about corruption in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic have brought this issue to the fore, the reality is that corruption in this country has far deeper roots. Apartheid was both morally and materially corrupt.”

“Even as its laws enabled the theft of resources belonging to the African people, there were many in the administration – including state companies and businesses – who flouted those corrupt laws to enrich themselves. We wanted to overthrow apartheid to bring in a new era of integrity and honesty.”

Cyril Ramaphosa