Communist Party red cards corruption

Corruption and "tenderprenuers" came under attack today as nearly 1 500 communist party supporters marched through Durban's city centre.

Labelled the "Red Card" campaign against corruption, the march led by the South African Communist Party carried posters which read:"Expose all forms of corruption. Demand tender transparency."

Led by SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande, Young Communist League national secretary Buti Manamela and Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi, the marchers handed over a memorandum to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize on the stairs of the city hall.

Braving the mid-day heat as they marched towards city hall, pedestrians and motorists applauded marchers. Manamela criticised opposition parties saying DA leader Helen Zille would only fight corruption to win votes.

"She will only fight corruption to pay lip service to corruption. She will protect the private sector when she fights corruption. She only wants to fight corruption in the public sector that is why we support this campaign...it exposes corruption both in the private and public sector," he said.

In addressing the crowd Vavi dressed in a personalised Bafana Bafana football jersey said:"Corruption equals stealing from the poor...it is not enough for ministers and public officials to hide behind the argument that they have 'declared an interest' in the companies they and their family own. The fact that they are in business to make money creates an inevitable conflict of interest when they are legislating in parliament, legislature or municipal council."

He called for lifestyle audits saying it could be used as a weapon to prosecute and punish corrupt officials.Nzimande said corruption in the private sector was rife and that more had to be done in the fight against corruption.

The memo addressed to president Jacob Zuma was handed to KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize.

Mkhize applauded the march saying it sent a message to all South Africans to stand up against corruption..

The memo also called on government to update and publish a list of blacklisted companies and to introduce tougher regulations to ban individuals from re-tendering under different businesses.