The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the announcement of the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, that lifestyle audits for senior managers of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have started and will be completed by March 2019. As a country, we have too long concentrated only on ‘big’ Zupta-related corruption and state capture, forgetting that ‘smaller’ corruption in the public service is also endemic. It is a well-known fact that most of the bigger SOEs are in dire financial trouble, amongst others apparently because of sky-high salary bills. While legal battles are playing themselves out with regard to the Zupta-related issues, a start must be made on the other instances of corruption. While a lifestyle audit will not be conclusive evidence of corruption, it would be a good indicator of possible ill-begotten income. This task will be undertaken by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and it must be hoped that they have the requisite skills to complete the task successfully. It is perhaps significant that the period for financial declarations goes back to 2009, the start of the Zuma administration.

On Mandela Day 2018, South Africans and those across the world who share former President Mandela’s vision to make a difference in the lives of others, will be dedicating time to various activities and projects to make the world a better place.

In the words of former President Mandela, “We need to restore and reaffirm the dignity of the people of Africa and the developing world. We need to place the eradication of poverty at the top of world priorities. We need to know with a fresh conviction that we all share a common humanity and that our diversity in the world is the strength for our future together.”

Tomorrow we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth.  

He was rightly acknowledged by the whole world as one of the greatest leaders of the latter part of the 20th century – and he was certainly one of the most impressive people that I met during my long political career.  He had enormous charm, charisma and the natural self-assurance of a born aristocrat. He had steel-like self-discipline and determination that he gained during the long and bitter years of his imprisonment.  Above all he had an unshakable commitment to the goals of the African National Congress and to the establishment of a non-racial democratic South Africa.