Africa-Press – South-Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the public to join in the responsibility of fighting corruption, saying corruption busting should be a community effort, as “… people do not steal in the dark”.
Delivering his national Human Rights Day message in Koster in the North West, Ramaphosa fine-tuned his stance on the importance of the country jointly tackling corruption.
If the country is to tackle corruption and incompetence, then every citizen should be an anti-corruption activist, Ramaphosa said to thunderous applause from those in attendance.
Ramaphosa said:
“We should take action against corruption as a community effort. If we as a community can say no [to] corruption, we can root out all these corrupt elements. We must say no, not in our community and society. People who steal do not steal in the dark; there are those who work with them and know,” Ramaphosa added.
He said corruption denied people access to fundamental human rights, including adequate service delivery.
The president said, so far, the government has been able to provide services including houses, water, and education to many citizens .
He said these efforts to provide decent services were being eroded by corruption. He also partly blamed the war in Ukraine, driven by Russia’s invasion of the country, for the rise in food and petrol prices.
Despite the global factors, South Africa’s internal battles of corruption and maladministration were the biggest drivers of inequality, Ramaphosa said.
“Because of corruption, our people are forced to pay more for services. Public infrastructure is left to decay so the private sector can be used. We can not reduce and transform our society when public money is stolen. Just as Sharpeville continues to live [in] our minds, the Constitution reminds us that we need a country where corruption has no place,” Ramaphosa said.
Racism and xenophobia
Ramaphosa’s speech was also dominated by concerns about racism and incidents of intolerance.
The Human Rights gathering, the first event since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, was held in Koster in the North West.
The town had in 2008 witnessed a violent mass shooting by a white man which killed four people.
Ramaphosa drew on this historic event, saying it took place in post-apartheid South Africa and was a reminder of the challenges of racism.
“This incident was a reminder that racism did not die when apartheid fell and is still very much alive. It was also [a] reflection to redouble efforts to rid the country of the terrible disease. It showed us that much more needed to be done to build bridges of understanding and consolidate our cohesion,” Ramaphosa said.
On xenophobia, the president called on employers to follow the law when employing foreign nationals. He partly blamed clashes between locals and foreigners on employers who did not follow proper procedures when hiring foreign nationals.
Ramaphosa also condemned the violent clashes between foreigners and South Africans, cautioning against xenophobic incidents and the danger they pose to stability in the country.
“Our departments of Home Affairs and Employment and Labour continue to engage with employers to ensure compliance with the immigration and labour laws. As a country founded on tolerance, respect for diversity and non-discrimination, we must never allow ourselves to turn against people who come from beyond our borders.
“We must be a welcoming country, particularly refugees fleeing persecution elsewhere. However, those who want to live and work in our country must be documented and have the right to be or work here,” he said.
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