Image: SUPPLIED
August saw a surge in anger from South African citizens across the board about corruption related to Covid-19 funds. Several reports on various media platforms, including the highly circulated “Voetsek ANC” poster, indicate that people have had enough of corruption.
Churches and civil society bodies have embarked on focused analysis and thinking about the corruption “pandemic”. As Colombia is known for drugs, Mali for child soldiers, Nigeria for terrorist groups, Saudi Arabia for lack of women rights and lately Zimbabwe for human rights violations, South Africa is fast becoming known as a country where corruption is a way of life, much similar to what Kenya was once known for.
Image: EUGENE COETZEE
There is a growing worry that corruption is beginning to shape the soul of our nation. We are getting to the point where corruption is becoming synonymous with South Africa. This emerging culture and identity are being imposed on us by those in the leadership and their cronies, and it is up to us as citizens to refuse to let corruption characterise our country.
As we enter the heritage month of September, God forbid that we pass on to the next generation the heritage of corruption. We must refuse to be defined by corruption just as much as we strive to avoid being known as a country of women bashers.
The call is not so much to invite the citizens to complain about corruption — that has been done over and over again. This is a call to resist those who want to corrupt us. It is a call to act against corruption because it is a practice which is contrary to the values we stand for as Africans, as Christians and as a democratic country.
As Africans we cherish the value of ubuntu, and care and corruption is an insult to these values. As Christians we believe in serving rather than being served.
Image: GALLO IMAGES/ JEFFREY ABRAHAMS
