Durban - ACTIVIST, whistleblower and friend of the late former ANC Youth League secretary Sindiso Magaqa says state institutions tasked with bringing to book those responsible for his friend’s murder have failed to do so.
Speaking at the Corruption and Human Rights conference, which began on Monday, Thabiso Zulu took the panel to task on why there were still no arrests made for Magaqa’s murder.
“We have been waiting for more than three years and not even one single politician in KZN is in the dock for Sindiso’s murder. We are still waiting for them to reinstate those charges against the politicians accused. There were other people who have been killed because they expose corrupt politicians,” said Zulu.
Zulu also took aim at the National Prosecuting Authority and the Public Protector for failing to fast-track the investigation, prompting Acting Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka to say that Chapter 9 institutions needed to strengthened for them to work better.
“We will not eradicate corruption if we do not get our systems right and rehabilitate the public governance system to ensure that it is able to realise the rights of people enshrined the Constitution. The extent to which corruption makes upholding human rights not possible,” said Gcaleka.
She pointed out that the parliamentary monitoring group estimated that the size of the corruption costs the country about R25 billion annually.
John Jeffery, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, said findings of fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the Auditor-General should anchor investigations of corruption.
“In this regard, the Auditor-General’s reports have been given teeth to bite. No more shall the AG’s reports expose financial impunity without consequences, law enforcement agencies will be activated through these reports. These actions need our urgent attention because we run the risk of corruption subverting good governance and undermining public trust in government,” he said.
South African Human Rights Commission chairperson advocate Bongani Majola said the commission “has identified corruption as one of the cross-cutting issues that it must deal with as part of its strategic plan for the year for the period 2021-2025”.
“Attention will be given to the effects of inequality on children, older persons, victims of abuse, migrants and the role of business. Corruption has the ability to overturn the gains made of the last 26 years of our democracy,” he said.
The conference will be aired online until March 31.
Daily News