Ramaphosa ‘must swing axe’ against corruption, warns Cosatu
Cosatu general-secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali has warned that the time has come for President Cyril Ramaphosa to “swing a big axe” if he wants to win the fight against corruption.
Ntshalintshali was speaking after the trade union federation’s central executive committee on Monday and Tuesday.
“President Ramaphosa will not win the fight against corruption if he continues to be confrontational averse,” he said.
“He needs to start swinging a big axe if he wants people to trust and believe in him.
“If Ramaphosa wants to win this fight, he needs to ensure that law enforcement agencies are efficient in investigating, prosecuting and imprisoning the corrupt CEOs, senior managers and politicians."
Cosatu’s warning comes amid growing reports of corruption bedevilling the relief funds meant to alleviate the impact of Covid-19.
Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko and Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku have both been implicated in improperly benefiting from personal protectiveequipment contracts worth R125 million.
Both Masuku and Diko have since taken leave of absence.
Recently, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus equated corruption linked to PPE to murder.