INLSA

KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize

Premier Zweli Mkhize aims to take the fight against corruption and maladministration to a higher level in KwaZulu-Natal this year. He needs to – it is so bad that he is considering a judicial commission to deal with fraud and graft cases.

His acknowledgement of the problem, one so big that it is a national threat, would have explained to President Zuma why opposition MPs hammered on it as they did during the State of the Nation debate in Parliament last week.

Mkhize said in his State of the Province address on Tuesday that he had asked the Treasury to probe the possibility of a law prohibiting officials from doing business with the government.

Possibility? Why only look at the possibility? And why only now? Do it. Stop the dilly-dallying, all that talking. Get that prohibition on the statute books. Get it in writing, with penalties attached: people using official posts as platforms for personal wealth are unwelcome in government and in our legislatures.

Prevarication must give way to impatience: those wanting wealth must apply their talents elsewhere. Those wanting to serve the country are entitled only to their salaries as public servants and lawmakers.

Why is this taking so long? There is no grey area, complexities can be dealt with – officials lost to entrepreneurial yearnings can soon be replaced by others who should, from the outset, be made to understand the terms and conditions of officialdom.

Zuma argued that South Africa was the only country in the world with a dedicated programme to fight corruption: “You must be saying, ‘well done, government’.” It was doing a lot already to combat corruption.

Clearly not enough. It is premature, then, to say “well done”. This country needs a relentless purge of greedy officials and lawmakers, and it is going to take steely will to pull it off. This is no time to tip-toe.