100k people expected at anti-corruption marches
Anti-corruption marches scheduled for next week are expected to draw tens of thousands of supporters, civil society organisations participating in the mass action said on Tuesday.
The “Unite Against Corruption” marches, which are due to take place in Pretoria and Cape Town on September 30, are being supported by Corruption Watch, Section 27, Equal Education, the Right2Know campaign, Amnesty International and Awethu.
Speaking during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Section 27 executive director Mark Heywood said the organisations were drawing up a memorandum to be handed to government at the Union Building on the day of the marches.
He expected 100,000 people to attend and show their commitment to fight against corruption.
Corruption Watch director David Lewis said among their demands were calls that political funding be made transparent, and that the findings of the public protector against corrupt individuals should be made binding. Lewis is also demanding that businesses found guilty of corruption be black-listed.
“The demands are practical and not rocket science. Collectively, we can fight corruption. Corruption Watch will launch a campaign for public participation in the election of the next public protector when Thuli [Madonsela] has completed her term.”
Zandile Ngubeni from Equal Education, a movement of pupils, parents, teachers, and community members fighting for quality education, said corruption had a negative effect on schools.
“We need a focused approach to fight corruption. We call on the government to fight against corruption. No one is above the law,” Ngubeni said.
According to the organisers, more than 300 civil society organisations have signed up for the march.
Controversial Anglican Bishop of Pretoria, Jo Seoka, said the march was aimed at spreading awareness of the scourge of corruption that was depriving citizens of service delivery.
“It is eating away the human investment that we have. We want people to do their confession and repent,” Seoka said.
“We have all indirectly participated,” he said. “We need to work together as a nation for common good so that poor people benefit from the resources that God has given us as a nation.”
Seoka said there was a tendency in South Africa to turn a blind eye to corruption, and more people needed to commit to exposing it.
“Together we can make a difference and win the war. Some of the leaders of corruption are powerful people but they can never be more powerful than the nation,” Seoka said.
“It is the biggest campaign that must be supported because if it wasn’t for corruption our country would be respected in the world. It’s not about politics or politicians, it’s about human rights .”