Dereleen James MP, a member of ActionSA , says her party is taking decisive action by introducing its Zero Tolerance Corruption Bill.
Image: ParliamentRSA / Supplied
According to the watchdog organisation Corruption Watch, ongoing legal prosecutions, although sluggish, have done little to deter high-level graft, which manifests predominantly through bribery and procurement fraud.
In response, ActionSA is taking decisive action by introducing its Zero Tolerance Corruption Bill, part of its broader Anti-Corruption Reform Package, aimed at declaring corruption as Public Enemy Number One in South Africa.
Dereleen James MP, a member of ActionSA, has been a vocal advocate for change, citing her distress over the corruption she has witnessed since entering Parliament.
''The destruction caused by corruption is not some distant or abstract concept. Every year, between R27 billion and R100 billion is stolen through corruption in South Africa.
''As South Africans, we are simply not angry enough.''
James highlights the tangible repercussions of corruption, demonstrated by the dire situations faced by communities, such as the Cape Flats, where inadequate police resources leave residents vulnerable to crime and gang violence.
She poignantly illustrated how restricted funding for initiatives like the National Drug Master Plan contributes to the country's addiction epidemic, devastating families and communities.
''When there are not enough social workers to rescue children from places like Pella Pos and the clutches of gangsterism: that is the direct result of corruption. We have created a culture that rewards corruption instead of punishing it.I have witnessed this first-hand in the Ad Hoc Committee investigating the allegations made by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
James refers to the attiitude of some witnesses appearing before the committee.
''For months, witness after witness has come before us. They swagger into the committee room as if they are untouchable.With such arrogance. With such impunity.And when individuals accused of corruption appear before this committee they are greeted by MPs as 'heroes' and 'Grootman'.
James said she has had enought of this.
''It makes me sick. These are people who have helped destroy the South African Police Service, the very institution meant to protect our people. They steal without fear. They lie without remorse. And as these long months of hearings have dragged on, my anger has continued to boil.
''That is why this Bill is so important. Because right now there is no fear of consequences.
''People commit corruption openly because they know that in many cases nothing will happen to them.
''So kan dit nie aangaan nie! (This can't go on!)
''South Africa has developed a culture of corruption and impunity, and that culture must be eradicated from the very top all the way to the bottom.''
The Zero Tolerance Corruption Bill introduces significant measures designed to instil accountability and curtail the rampant corruption that has plagued the nation. The bill proposes the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences for corruption, a first for South Africa, which reflect the severity of the offences based on the court in which they are tried:
For cases tried in Magistrates’ Courts — a minimum sentence of 5 years.For cases tried in Regional Courts — a minimum sentence of 15 years.
And for cases tried in the High Courts — a minimum sentence of 18 years. Second, the Bill doubles the fine for those who fail to disclose that they have been blacklisted raising it to R500,000 and increases the possible prison sentence from three years to five years.
Third, the Bill lowers the reporting threshold for fraud and forgery from R100 000 to R30 000, placing a stronger obligation on accounting officers to report corruption before it grows into massive scandals.
''In short, this Bill will help end the era of impunity. It will ensure that the culture of corruption paying finally comes to an end.
''For the residents of the Cape Flats who call the police and must wait hours for a van that never comes. For those battling addiction who are left without the support they desperately need. For the children trapped in places like Pella Pos, waiting for help that never arrives.
''And for the millions of South Africans who simply want to see those who steal from the public held accountable and placed behind bars in orange overalls where they belong.
Encouraging widespread support for the bill, James implored all South Africans who oppose corruption to lend their voices.