Over the past couple of days I’ve been flipping through the pages of Terry Crawford-Browne’s book titled Eye on the Diamonds. It is not an easy read, because it draws attention to many uncomfortable truths about the global weapons trade, Western hypocrisy
Eye on the Diamonds is just one of many exposés published in South Africa since the dawn of democracy. Crawford-Browne’s first work, Eye on the Money, was published in 2007 and dealt with the impact of international banking sanctions under Apartheid as well as the early stages of the now well-documented arms deal scandal. Andrew Feinstein, an African National Congress MP between 1994 and 2001, has also been prolific. His 2007 work, After the Party, takes an in-depth look at the cover ups and corruption in arms dealing. And his second work, The Shadow World – Inside the Global Arms Trade, is equally provocative. Last year radio journalist Mandy Weiner added her contribution with a chilling account of the country’s criminal underworld in Killing Kebble. The common thread running through these works is that South Africa is deeply mired in the treachery that years of Apartheid rule, liberation struggle and sanction-busting business activity has entrenched.
And they say nobody is above the law...
The names splashed about in the first chapter of Crawford-Browne’s latest offering read like a who’s who of the country’s business and political elite. Ex-president’s Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, still senior and active ANC politicians Trevor Manuel, Tony Yengeni and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, protected (but now disgraced) ex-police commissioner Jackie Selebi, and businessmen Brett Kebble and Tokyo Sexwale all get a mention. The individuals mentioned have many allegations to answer to, ranging from accepting donations from despots and dictators, to soliciting bribes to facilitate the unnecessary purchase of fighter jets, frigates and submarines, to trading in illicit diamonds to name a few.
As the book unfolds various beneficiaries of the arms deal bribe saga are “named and shamed”, including now-deceased Richard Charter, Zimbabwean businessman John Bredenkamp and Fana Hlongwane (who it is alleged received inducements in excess of R280 million). It was also alleged that Thabo Mbeki himself received R30 million from MAN Ferrostal, which amount was distributed to the ANC (R28 million) and the balance to then-deputy president, Jacob Zuma. And so it continues – page after page – revealing political and big-business collusion in soliciting and accepting bribes while spending taxpayers’ money in the worst possible way. Perhaps the most concerning allegation in the book is that the arms deal was just the tip of the corruption iceberg. The author reveals that “whistleblowers” informed him of similar shenanigans in oil deals, toll roads, driver’s licences, the then-proposed Cell C system etc.
They say you are innocent until proven guilty. In my humble opinion there are dozens of senior politicians and business executives going about their daily lives who are only innocent until their day in court. The question, given the millions of pages of documentary evidence and the facts and figures widely reported in the public domain, is why none of these criminals have been brought to book!
How to lose R25 billion (and change) in a year
The ability to commit economic fraud with impunity has permeated our society. It seems as if politically connected individuals can participate in any form of financial impropriety without fear of reprisal. In the event a senior politician is implicated in fraud, corruption, tender rigging or outright theft of state funds the most likely outcomes are redeployment, resignation with full benefits or termination of contract with the remaining value paid out in full. And in the unlikely event of a trial and subsequent conviction, the perpetrator ends up in hospital, more likely to receive medical parole than serve an appropriate jail term.
In the absence of accountability and free from the threat of criminal prosecution the public sector is ransacking South Africa. In their response to a recent question from the African Christian Democratic Party the Special Investigation Unit estimated that fraud and corruption in the state procurement machinery amounted to between R25 billion and R30 billion each year. Imagine foregoing an infrastructure project the size of the Gautrain each year!
What can ordinary citizens do to stop the rot? Yesterday finance minister Pravin Gordhan said that honest citizens and civil servants should fight corruption in the government tendering process. He warned those in attendance at the SA Institute of Professional Accountants conference that South Africa was in danger of becoming an “extractive society”. These are rich words from a minister who must have inside knowledge of many questionable transactions. It is also embarrassing that government calls on ordinary citizens “to tackle corruption” when it has done everything in its power to prevent corruption accused from being charged. In recent years government has crushed the Scorpions (an independent crime fighting unit), made repeated questionable appointments to the position of National Police Commissioner, made ridiculous judicial appointments, interfered with the National Prosecuting Authority and done everything in its power to prevent and subsequently stall the much needed arms deal investigation.
The power is in your hands, Minister
Gordhan’s request is typical of an arrogant ruling party that trots out all manner of excuses for corruption, despite it being entrenched within its rank and file. The all too frequent deflections when grilled over government’s role in corruption include: It happened during Apartheid too, corruption is rife everywhere in the world, business is complicit in corruption and citizens must work together to tackle the problem, among others. My response is: Nonsense! Forget about who is to blame for the scourge and deliver the clean and accountable government we deserve!
It is time that government stands up and says: The following ministers, director generals, MPs and municipal executive members have been accused of / implicated in tender irregularities, fraud, theft or corruption and will step down pending trial… (Given the extent of the problem they may wish to create a special court to expedite the process). This is the response ordinary citizens want… And it is the only response that will reverse the corruption nightmare we currently find ourselves in.
Editor’s thoughts: There is no doubt that our disrespect for the rule of law stems from the Apartheid years. The African National Congress had to flout the law to subvert an unjust system of government – and they were not too picky about the morals, ambitions or intentions of their struggle “partners”. Likewise the Apartheid government concluded deals with anyone open for business, inevitably illegally due to the sanctions in force at the time… Do you think the current corruption epidemic can be attributed to an Apartheid mindset – and how do we address it? Please add your comment below, or send it to gareth@fanews.co.za
Comments
Added by Bidnis Man, 19 Jul 2012