Dear Jeff Radebe,
I was hoping that you would be in a position by now to expand on your statement, made Sunday, regarding the naming and shaming of public servants found guilty of corruption.
This is mainly because two days later I’ve yet to see any such naming and shaming going on and was wondering whether this was merely an off-the-cuff statement or if you really meant it.
I know that by now I should be used to you ministers just mouthing off, especially in the lead up to elections, but I really did take your statement quite seriously and thus I’m asking for some clarification, just in case you’ve forgotten Sunday already.
What I want to know is will those being named, and shamed, be merely lowly clerks who’ve been running betting syndicates from their offices or pilfering from petty cash or will you be including some of the better known ones – the ones really creaming it, driving the big German limos, wearing the designer outfits and driving in convoys with outriders, blue lights and bodyguards in natty dark suits and sunglasses?
Perhaps even better, what about those furnishing their offices – and in the case of one individual his entire compound - to the tunes of millions when as far as I know all had their offices, and cars, and homes already redecorated, and refurbished, and remodelled – some even rebuilt - not too long back?
If the latter – as I’m really not interested in the clerks who are stealing petty cash or pens and rulers – perhaps I could assist, just in case some of their names have momentarily escaped you.
Let’s see, there’s Tony Yengeni – hard to forget is old hard-drinking, hard-driving, “Two fingers” Tony - and then there was also Jackie Selebi.
What did happen to good old Jackie? You’ll no doubt remember him as I think he was going to run Interpol at one stage before he got into some trouble.
Is he still alive? Last time I saw his name he was at death’s door, together with Shabir Shaik.
Are the two of them still doing a regular four-ball on Wednesday’s, or haven’t you been keeping tabs lately?
We shouldn’t of course forget Travelgate in all this, and the 40-odd MP’s found guilty there. Will their names be listed, or is your list only going to be current – like just today’s list?
If the list is only going to be of current offenders – not that it will be much shorter, just more relevant – then will you be including MEC’s charged with murder or ministers running scams in their own departments.
I’m sure that you’ll have by now been informed that Minister Lulu Xingwana has a bit of a problem in her department, that of Women, Children and those with disabilities. She apparently has ex-cons, unqualified persons and personal acquaintances working there. Will she be “named and shamed” or just the bogus employees?
I’m sure that by now you will understand my concerns, and confusion, as so much just doesn’t come to my attention and even when it does, I’m not always sure who or what to believe.
For instance, what will happen to people caught from now on with their hands in the till? Will they be instantly named and shamed or will you wait until you have enough names to create a worthwhile report?
What about those caught, sentenced and incarcerated and then released either on pardon or due to their being at death’s door? Will they be named or just shamed as we would know already who they are?
What about those found guilty of other criminal offences – besides corruption – like murder, defeating the ends of justice, fraud, wife battering, assault, cronyism, gangsterism, racketeering, drunken driving and plain ineptitude? At last count I believe virtually all sitting ANC MP’s had a least one of the above linked to their names.
Lastly, will these names all be on a common list or will you compile individual lists?
Let me state here - in closing - that I’m not expecting a comprehensive report answering all the questions I’ve posed as I realise you have things to do, and also lists to compile.
Perhaps you could thus just give me enough detail – as the President so eloquently did in his SONA address when laying out what plans he has and how he plans to implement them – to allay fears that I’m once again being led down the garden path and that there are in fact no fruit trees awaiting me when I get there, just a compost heap covered in flies.
I remain your faithful, never-ending-line of-credit, taxpaying servant,
Joe Blogs
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