The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to make public the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) report on coronavirus (COVID-19) related corruption.
The federation was participating in a #OrangeMaskFriday campaign picket against COVID-19 corruption organised by the Ahmed Kathrada foundation at the Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg. The picket, which included organisations from the faith-based sector, business and labour is part of a series of activities by civil society against COVID-19 corruption.
During his nation address on Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had received the SIU’s first interim report, detailing the progress of its investigations in all provinces and in some national departments and other entities.
Cosatu’s campaign coordinator Thabo Mahlangu says: “All those who’ve been found to be corrupt should be prosecuted, punished and sent to jail wearing the orange overall, we are also calling upon all citizens of the country to stand up against corruption and we call for the President to make sure that the report he received he must make it public and as he said he is drawing the line in the sand, we want to see that in action not only in theory.”
Yesterday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) also urged Ramaphosa to release the full SIU report into the alleged looting of COVID-19 funds.
DA Interim Leader, John Steenhuisen, says Ramaphosa should be transparent if he is serious about tackling corruption of the COVID-19 funds.
He says many South Africans have sacrificed a great deal during the coronavirus pandemic and government lockdown.
“It was also abused and used by predators – both within an outside government to abuse the situation and enrich themselves and the elite around them. This is completely unacceptable. If the President is serious about about drawing a line in the sand against corruption, then surely he must know that transparency, accountability and a full disclosure is the best antidote towards corruption,” says Steenhuisen.
The DA rejects the attempt by Ramaphosa to censor the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) report into COVID-19 corruption.
The SIU has reportedly confirmed that Ramaphosa will himself decide which part of this report will be made public. – @jsteenhuisenhttps://t.co/dnFAuit8QD
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) September 17, 2020
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