JOHANNESBURG - The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is running a social media campaign, posting 67 quotations based on suggestions, phrases, and anecdotes taken from the public submissions from its #FixOurDemocracy initiative to mark this year's Nelson Mandela International Day on Saturday, July 18.
The tweets can be read on @KathradaFound using the hashtag #FixOurDemocracy. The initiative was started on July 14 by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, supported by several other organisations. It made a call for South Africans to submit suggestions, via an online survey, on how to #FixOurDemocracy in relation to the state.
Quotes on the criminal justice system include:
- “Our criminal justice systems should run independently without any kind of political interference. No fear or favour.”
- "Could we start with the police force in being more active in the arrest and investigation of the corruption that happens at local stations, then the courts where documents go missing. (We need to be) investing in well protected electronic systems where records and evidence can't go missing or be tampered with.”
Government procurement processes:
- "All tenders to be advertised widely and contracts entered into published on the government website with no confidentiality.”
- “Make all bid evaluation and adjudication committee meetings open to the public to make it transparent.”
- "Government procurement processes should be streamlined to ensure delivery of impact on the social economy in particular, with emphasis on quick turn-around times and the timely requisitioning of productive work upon a successful due diligence and appointment process ... the benefit to final beneficiaries should remain the chief concern. Procurement and use of public funds should not be (directed) toward cronyism and nepotism.”
Active citizenry:
- "We need to educate more people about the rights contained in our Constitution on a practical level, so that they are truly free to exercise them as a result of knowing their content and consequences.”
- “Greater protection for citizens that are active in holding their political party and government accountable for their actions.”
Consequence management of public officials for patronage, corruption and state capture"
- “There is a need to deal with the issue on consequences for those found guilty as it’s the inability to deal with corruption that leads to it having become a norm in almost every sector of government and entities, not excluding many private companies who are often party to these incidents.”
- Parliament:
- “Salaries for MPs should also be drastically reduced. The motivation to serve should be paramount, not greed....”
- “More respect and accountability must be displayed in Parliament. It often feels as though members disregard the seriousness of the positions they have been placed in. We need a stricter code of conduct in Parliament and perhaps a better criteria for how to interact with one another in Parliament.”
Mechanisms of oversight:
- “I think that government/provincial/municipal officials should not be appointed by politicians. They should be appointed by a panel of professional individuals in the relevant field who are not party affiliated and their appointment should be transparent and based upon nothing more than ability to perform the function. No one with a criminal record should be considered and ultimate responsibility and oversight of the appointee's performance should rest with the panel.”
- “There needs to be a clear separation of power between political party and state.”
Accountability:
- “Stop the 'cadre deployment' nonsense and appoint the most suited and competent people. Stop the 'suspension with full pay' nonsense ... the country cannot afford to support wrongdoers Accountability mechanisms must have teeth, fire the corrupt - stop the 'tell us why we shouldn’t fire you' nonsense.”
- “The Government must be seen to be actively making a serious effort to stop all patronage and factionalism immediately.”
Municipal government:
- “Corruption in every level of government must be eradicated by having oversight committees who are qualified in forensic auditing.”
- “There should be consequences for non-service delivery and for corruption not only for the lower level of employees but right from the top. If departments don’t spend their allocated budgets there should be consequences for the non-spending, maybe not allowing roll overs.”
Covid-19 funding:
- “On Covid-19 funding, a complete audit needs to be carried out in every province to determine whether collusion on pricing was present and which service providers were given contracts for procurement of goods and services despite not meeting criteria. Immediate recovery of funds must be actioned to allow monies to be spent on the deserving people.”
- “With Covid-19 funding, there has been a lot of corruption allegations levelled against local government officials. There has to be some kind of accountability that goes with that. We just can't let corrupt officials do as they please.”
Appointments and dismissals:
- "All directors general, deputy directors general and chief directors at both national and provincial spheres as well as municipal managers and directors must be appointed and dismissed by an independent Public Service Commission. No politician, including the president, premier and mayor, should have a say in this process.”