Publication: Business Day
Issued:
Date: 2007-10-24
Reporter: Terry CrawfordBrowne
Letters Correspondent
Before ranting at Business Day on the ethics of journalism, presidential
spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga and his boss might ponder why increasing numbers of
South Africans “who once admired him no longer believe a word he (Mbeki) says”,
Mbeki did not “approve” arrest (October 22).
Thabo Mbeki came to office hailed as “Mr Delivery”. Riots all over the country
attest to the reality that he has failed dismally. We have 40% unemployment,
6-million South Africans will have died of AIDS-related diseases by 2010, and
8-million live in shacks. SA’s ranking in the United Nations human development
index has plummeted 35 places since 1990.
Church and civil society leaders alerted Mbeki at the 1996- 98 Defence Review —
and earlier — that SA’s urgent priority was to redress crises of poverty
inherited from the apartheid era. Instead of decisive action to deal with these
problems, Mbeki’s presidency has unleashed corruption and
crime by enriching a few financial and political cronies. Corruption is
theft from the poor, who may be illiterate but not stupid. Mbeki has betrayed
them, and the struggle against apartheid.
The common denominator of numerous scandals and cover-ups is political
protection in return for kickbacks to the African National Congress, of which
the arms deal is the most notorious.
In trying to squelch investigations into these scandals, Mbeki has turned
Parliament, the chapter nine institutions and judicial system into rubber
stamps, thus destroying the checks and balances of our hard-won constitutional
democracy.
The British government admits that bribes were paid to secure the BAE warplane
contracts, but pleads that the estimated bribes of R1,6bn were “within
acceptable limits”. ThyssenKrupp likewise admits that it paid bribes to secure
the warship contracts.
Mbeki’s cover-up strategies *1 have backfired.
The arms deal scandal is now under investigation in at
least eight countries *2, including the US, plus by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development. He may yet face impeachment and removal
from office.
Terry Crawford-Browne
Milnerton
With acknowledgements to Terry Crawford-Browne and Business Day.
*1 So far they worked pretty well. If
it wasn't for a few people like Terry Crawford-Browne, Andew Feinsten and me (at
least I still run this service plus the Armsdeal VPO website) and a few others,
the whole thing might well have been forgotten in this country.
*2 Ah hah, so it's those pesky foreigners who've got those
long memories and larger testicles.
PS I have it on reasonably good authority that
Carte Blanche will be focussing on the arms deal
this Sunday evening, MNET 19:00.