ANC regime buys criminal debt

If your blood pressure wasn't over the top yet, how about this story? The ANC parleymunts have used taxpayer money and settled the debt resulting from the criminal misdeeds of ANC parliamentarians involved in the scam that came to be known as Travelgate - and like the DA says, it makes a mockery of Zuma's assurances that the ANC will tackle corruption. There is two societies in South Africa - one law for the politically connected and one for the rest of us. I rest my case.

DA slams parliament’s purchase of Travelgate debtor’s book.

R370,000 spent so that MP’s “won’t be sued” for the money they owe. Parliament's decision not to pursue Travelgate claims makes mockery of Zuma's corruption promises.

A report in the Sunday Times this week indicates that National Parliament Speaker Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde has decided not to pursue Travelgate claims against more than 60 MPs implicated in Travelgate. If this is the case, then it makes a mockery of Presidential candidate Jacob Zuma's promises to crack down hard on corruption.

If the new Speaker of Parliament, who is a representative of the new Zuma regime, cannot take a firm stand against members of parliament who abused their travel vouchers, then it creates the impression that the ruling party's new commitment has no substance.

It was revealed in the Sunday Times this week that last year, the former parliamentary speaker spent R370 000 of public money to buy up the debtors' book of one of the travel agents involved in Travelgate, and so prevent the MPs implicated from being sued by travel agents for the money they owe.

At the time a decision on whether parliament itself would pursue these claims was left open. It appears from this report that the decision has been made not to pursue these claims. So while parliament has the opportunity to recoup some of the R370 000 spent on buying the debtor's book, and to send a clear message out to South Africa about the new regime's refusal to tolerate corruption, it has chosen not to do so.

South Africa needs to wage a war on corruption. From the multi-billion rand arms deal to small back-handers that are often demanded for basic services, all of South Africa's enormous potential is being compromised by the belief by many citizens that they can get away with whatever they like.

It would surely be necessary, in order to start confronting and changing this belief, to start with our governing institutions and make it absolutely clear that corruption on the part of our law-makers will not be tolerated in any shape or form. It is therefore very disappointing that there is no sign that this will happen.

Statement issued by Ian Davidson MP, Democratic Alliance chief whip.