The Weekly Editorial

We would like to salute the ANC for taking a brave step towards cleansing itself of corrupt and unscrupulous leaders. The establishment of the integrity committee is commendable. It is a bold step and a realisation by the ruling party leadership that South Africans are gatvol about corruption.

Corruption not only cripples our economy but it robs the millions of poor South Africans of the opportunity to get access to basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation; because the money intended to be spend on providing these services ends up in the pockets of corrupt councillors, government officials and politicians.

South Africans have watched with disgust as politicians caught with their hands in the cookie jar escape with light rebuke after being found guilty of fraud and corruption. We have watched with horror as politicians implicated in serious misdemeanours get to keep their jobs or get redeployed to other similarly lucrative posts.

The integrity committee will go a long in dealing with the problem of corruption and inappropriate conduct by ANC leaders. What is heartening about the commission is that it will check the background of any person who wants to join the party.

If the person is found to have a criminal record, they will be denied membership. But beyond that, it will have powers to discipline and take actions against current ANC members and leaders implicated in corruption, fraud and maladministration.

So we agree with the ANC deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte that following the appointment of the committee the notion that the ANC appoints criminals to positions is wrong.

“Once you have a criminal record of any kind, you can’t be appointed in the African National Congress, it’s not possible. You can’t get into the governing structures of the ANC,” said Duarte in a news interview.

At its national elective conference in Mangaung last year, the ANC resolved to act harshly against ill-discipline. It resolved that any of its members found guilty of wrongdoing in other institutions of society would be subjected to internal disciplinary processes.

As part of the resolution, the ANC appointed an integrity committee to look into matters of discipline. The party is still mulling over whether the Mangaung resolution could be applied to ANC members charged or found guilty before December.

If applied retrospectively, the resolution has the potential to affect current ANC leaders facing allegations of corruption and fraud. Duarte said the committee had to take into account that there might be people who were still under investigation from before Mangaung.

She referred to ANC chairperson in the Northern Cape, John Block, and two others who faced charges of fraud, corruption, and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act. Duarte said the party believed in people being innocent until proven guilty.

“What we are concerned about is the question of integrity within the party. So, the resolution gives people the opportunity to take their own decision to step down,” she said. If they did not step down, it would be the committee’s task to decide what should happen.

“If the integrity committee finds there are a number of people facing charges right now, and they would like to talk to them, and in their view there is a problem, then we are not going to tell those people (on the committee) what to do,” said Duarte.

However, this was not the only remit of the committee. It would also look at matters reported in the media, and could receive information from anonymous sources.

The integrity committee is chaired by Rivonia trialist and former Robben Island prisoner, Andrew Mlangeni. Other members include: Frene Ginwala, Nelson Diale, Gertrude Shope, Ahmed Kathrada, Rashida Abdullah, Mendi Msimang, Sophie De Bruyn, Jethro Ndlovu, Dennis Goldberg, Lindelwe Mabandla, and Nokukhanya Jele.

“I’ve been in a room with them a couple of weeks ago, and myself and the (secretary general Gwede Mantashe) we walked out there and we said ‘we made the right decision’.

“They’re ANC core. They are the strongest stalwarts in the organisation. They are very clear…: if you mess up, this is where you going to get dealt with in a proper way.” She said no one in the party was above the integrity committee.

“We are all going to answer to those senior cadres of the movement. I think it’s very good, it’s encouraging.”

We hope that the committee will be allowed to do its job without fear of favour. It must become independent and discipline any member or leader of the ANC who is implicated in corruption irrespective of their ranks within the party. But above all, the committee must not involve itself in internal party factional battles.

The success of the committee will restore confidence of South Africans in the ruling party. It will demonstrate that the ANC is committed to rooting out corruption within its ranks. It will ensure that only leaders who are beyond reproach lead the ANC from the lower to the top structures.