March against corruption

Twenty-nine civil organisations and eight unions will form a coalition which will include the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), Section 27, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) and Equal Education. The coalition is planning a mass demonstration march on 19 August.

The coalition believed that South Africa was engulfed by an epidemic of corruption. One of the organisers, Castro Ngobese, said private companies and individuals were corrupting the fabric of South Africa. He accused President Jacob Zuma of misusing the presidency’s budget vote in Parliament to laugh off the issue of Nkandla.

Ngobese said Zuma tried to make fools of the opposition parties and civil society organisations that have expressed outrage at the abuse of public funds.

In a statement, the coalition said it was expected that the fight against corruption would be led by the President, but instead it seemed that corruption was now endemic in the office of the President, infected parts of the cabinet, and spread throughout government, businesses, trade unions and NGOs. It accused the ANC leadership of permitting the diversion of billions of rands away from the delivery of public services to the poor, and into the hands of the elite. Corruption was causing massive levels of unemployment, poverty and the collapsing of hospital services.

The association of unions and civil society organisations resolved to build an inclusive people’s alliance against corruption, and for social justice. The association would approach all trade unions, businesses and faiths to become part of this alliance.

The alliance will march to the Union Buildings to coincide with the parliamentary committee’s review of police minister Nathi Nhleko’s report on Nkandla.

“These marches will demonstrate a South Africa united in its total rejection of corruption,” the statement concluded.