Corruption Wars xxx – Return Of The Phantom Handbook

Over the years the Presidential Handbook which allegedly contains the rules for expenditure on perks such as cars, housing and travel for the top-ranking government officials, has come under fire from various quarters, especially when used by ANC members to justify some of their more gratuitous and ostentatious spending.

Strangely, from what I could gather, no one apart from the ruling members of government have laid eyes on this elusive, yet much referenced Handbook. And presumably this is a different Handbook from that which governs Ministerial perks, which also begs the question of why there are two different Handbooks.

Following demands from the opposition Democratic Alliance to make the Presidential Handbook public, it has been revealed that it is still in draft form – since being compiled in 2007. So it would appear that public officials have been using a draft document which is not yet official policy, to spend lavishly, and defy accountability for at least five years. And this in a state in which the ANC touts as one of the most advanced constitutional democracies in the world.

The voters have been repeatedly duped and have been somewhat passively accepting it much longer than five years; in fact since corruption on a massive scale by government officials suddenly started being unearthed following the Arms Deal Scandal of 1999.

But voters are notoriously stupid gullible. Take this cretin for example, commenting on the latest iteration of the Handbook saga:

He claims to know the facts – that governments pull money out of the air to fight wars, and that attacks on the ANC is a Corporate agenda. With voters like these, is it any wonder that the ANC is enjoying a corrupt hegemony that threatens the future of beautiful South Africa.

Aluta continua!

It's not like the Minister has done something that isn't traditional!

Recent revelations that Sicelo Shiceka, the South African government Minister with a title that is a mouthful, had abused taxpayers money to maintain a jet-setter lifestyle, is nothing new – it’s the norm.

In fact it would have been astonishing had the Minister of Coorporative Governance and Traditional Affairs been un-coorporative with the ANC tradition of looting the treasury by government officials.

Flying first class to Switzerland with an unecessary personal assistant, and visiting a girlfriend in prison using a hired chauffeur-driven limousine, all at the taxpayers expense is not scandalous; it’s traditional. And apparently it’s all perfectly legal – squandering taxpayers money is sanctioned by the Ministers Handbook. Just don’t bother

asking who wrote that convenient little Handbook.

Now if any of you poor folks are wondering when you’ll be getting a little service delivery, piped water, your share of sub-standard housing, driveable roads etcetera, I suggest you don’t ask your government representatives. They’re too busy making the most of the opportunity you gave them by putting them into political office.

Just another routine swindle

I remember glancing briefly at the headline and introduction over the weekend:

Five-star junket shock

A delegation of 49 government officials, including eight ministers and deputy ministers, flew business class to New York on a two-week junket – and failed to attend many of the sessions of the United Nations gender summit where they were supposed to represent South Africa.

And thought “Oh Fuck! Not another swindle by government.”

Today I read the full article and was not surprised to see all the usual suspects involved; our notorious non-performing government departments and officials.

1. The Ministry for Women, Youth, Children and the Disabled [horribly mis]led by Lulu Xingwana
2. The Ministry of Correctional Services [mis]led by Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
3. The Ministry of Social Development [mis]led by Minister Bathabile Dlamini
4. The Ministry of Trade and Industry [mis]led by Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe
5. The Ministry of Public Works [mis]led by Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu
6. The Police Ministry [mis]led by Deputy Minister Maggie Sotyu
7. The Health Ministry [mis]led by Deputy Minister Gwen Ramokgopa
8. The Ministry of Higher Education [mis]led by Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize.

Another glorious gathering of female scum this time, about to find the fame shame they so richly deserve. They will no doubt find good company with many of their male colleagues who have preceded them into the Great Hall of Shame, for fiddling much grander sums from the taxpayer’s largesse.

With the local government elections coming up in May this year, it is now quite clear why the faithful are clamouring, even trampling over each other, to get onto the ANC Election lists. With the incentive of unlimited taxpayer funds at your disposal to use and abuse, mostly abuse, it’s a no-brainer.

Much harder to fathom though, is why the poor keep voting for the organization these vermin cling to?