Corruption ‘spreads like a virus’ without accountability for implicated individuals: Steenhuisen

The ANC has become a political party riddled with corruption, and lack of action against implicated members results in theft spreading like a virus. 

This is according to DA leader John Steenhuisen, who on Tuesday presented “the true state of the nation,” ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address (Sona) on Thursday. 

Steenhuisen lamented a lack of action against ANC members who are implicated in corruption, saying they remain untouched despite glaring evidence cited by various sources, including the state capture report.

Acting chief justice and chairperson of the state capture commission Raymond Zondo handed over two instalments of the state capture report to Ramaphosa, which have both been made public The first part of the report investigated corruption at state-owned companies including SAA and Eskom. The second instalment focused on Denel and Transnet. 

The scathing report implicates several politicians and business owners who allegedly had proximity to government officials and state resources.  Former president Jacob Zuma, communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and former public enterprises ministers Malusi Gigaba and Lynne Brown are among the implicated individuals.

Steenhuisen said the ANC had turned into a crime syndicate and is far from the liberation movement it was in 1994.

“As we have seen in the Gupta leaks, the Zondo report, and countless exposés, the ANC today is closer to a crime syndicate and a terrorist organisation than a political party. Our country will not survive the destruction caused by their greed and their internal warfare much longer.

“Some of us have known this for a long time, others are just realising it now. But as a country, we can no longer deny that the party of national government — the ANC — bears no resemblance to the liberation movement that took office in 1994,” said Steenhuisen.

Steenhuisen said there was no expectation of a firm commitment to tackle corruption by Ramaphosa as he will likely rehash his old speech full of old promises. 

“I know this because we have seen this movie many times before. Without fail, as we move further away from Sona and its lofty promises, the same script plays out year after year.

“None of the promised economic reforms materialise. None of the energy reforms materialise. None of the big new investments materialise. And not one ANC cadre or politician implicated in corruption is convicted by the NPA,” said Steenhuisen.

Corruption, unemployment and economic recovery are some of the key issues expected to feature prominently in Ramaphosa’s Sona.