The progress realised by our people since our April 1994 democratic break through cannot be hindered, undermined or reversed by self-serving behaviour of those, including the bureaucracy, occupying the strategic positions in the state. The SACP therefore welcomes the raid conducted this week on the office of Limpopo Province Premier by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations, the HAWKS. The SACP supports efforts by law enforcement agencies to uproot corruption both inside and outside the state.
State intervention to deal decisively with corruption is crucial; however it is alone not sufficient. It must therefore be buttressed by active communities and a united and mobilised working class. The SACP will accordingly deepen social mobilisation to support anti-corruption state interventions, including holding the very same investigative agencies to account. It is important to note that it is not the first time a Premier's Office is raided by the HAWKS in South Africa. What we want are the results and consequence management to the full extent of law.
With that said, it raises eyebrows that such honourable and respected offices can be raided in an anti-corruption investigation, especially at this moment when the "new dawn" is supposed to be unfolding in earnest to give way to the shining light on the rest of our country following the May 2019 general elections. While we give space and time to law enforcement agencies to perform their work, we expect the leadership and officials in the Office of the Premier to fully co-operate with the investigations and allow all the other related processes to unfold without any hindrance.
The SACP has been paying its full attention in support of the branch of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) in the Office of the Premier. This included support for the lunch hour pickets that were called by the union, demanding an investigation into questionable dealings.
The SACP has further learnt of alleged corrupt activities relating to the Information Technology broadband roll-out throughout Limpopo Province resulting in more than half-a-billion rand in irregular expenditure, that is expenditure where one or more due processes were not followed. All these required a decisive action by the Premier but to no avail.
SACP salutes the people of courage and character, who took their efforts, under what has been characterised as a hostile environment, to report the allegations to the HAWKS and the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
The SACP is calling on the Office of the Premier to desist from a media onslaught against Nehawu leadership in that office, as well as other government officials in different departments suspected of having been the ones who reported the allegations to the HAWKS and the Commission. It is revolutionary to respect and protect corruption-combating efforts. To this end the SACP
expects the Premier to lead by example.
Contact:
Contact Acting Provincial Secretary Cde Goodman Mitileni -
Mobile: 082 740 6936, Tel: 015 297 8128 Email: mitileniw@icloud.com
And
Machike Thobejane, Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: 082 307 0095, Tel: 015 2978128 Email: machikesacp@gmail.com
