N5 Entrepreneurship


Activity 3 Read the article below and then answer the questions. Morality of ‘me first’


Far more has to be done to rid the country of corruption, Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Monday, citing the purchase of flashy cars and extravagant hotel stays by officials as examples.


“Measures are being taken to curb corruption, though far more has to be done in this [area] to rid the country, and in particular the public service, of this culture of self- enrichment,” Vavi said in an address prepared for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of African Communists.


“Even among some of our own cadres the view that those in public office have the right to R1-million cars and weeks in top five-star hotels has become deeply ingrained, and it has to be fought with every weapon at our disposal,” he said. Vavi criticised public servants who saw themselves as entitled to the “same sort of obscene perks” as those in business. “We will never curb the greed of the capitalists if our own leaders follow the same path and adopt their greedy morality of ‘me first’.”


He said the recent service delivery protests were rooted in legitimate grievances about poor service but were also a “revolt” against those they elected to serve them. “... They are just as much a revolt against people they elected to serve them as councillors and mayors, but who move out of the community, live a life of affluence at the people’s expense and do little to help those they have left behind.”


“We must ensure that the elected officials and the state bureaucracy continues to become more responsive and accountable to the masses... and that our alliance organisations are treated as the legitimate voice of our communities, not as one more in a queue of special interests,” he said. He admitted that there were also councillors and mayors who did “wonderful work” in their communities.


Vavi cited the economic recession, labour brokering, a threat to ban the unionisation of the army, and corruption as the main challenges facing the national democratic revolution.


Questions: 1. Corruption and self enrichment, is this something new that has just hit SA now? 2. What is the General Secretary’s solution to the problem? 3. Golden Handshakes are often used to get rid of non performing public officials. Is it ethical to do so?


4. What should instead have happened? 5. How can we get rid of corruption? 6. Is lying not just another form of corruption? 7. Name at least three prominent South Africans who are “shining lights” in the fight against corruption.


60


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