Plenty of promises, but still no checks on rampant corruption

ACCORDING to the latest stats via the AG Reports, as seen on eNCA news yesterday, there seems to be a total disregard of previous promises that fruitless, irregular and wasteful expenditure of our already meagre financial resources will be restrained.

Just one look at these stats will show a haemorrhaging beyond any control, yet borrowing continues past the point of sensible control, by those who should not only be held to account, but also jailed.

Fruitless and wasteful expenditure has climbed by more than 200%, to R2.5billion. Since last year, unauthorised expenditure has increased by 38% to R2.1bn. Irregular expenditure stands at R51bn, and clean audit reports have decreased by 23%.

Note that this is all in addition to the huge misappropriation and losses of the past few years.

Then we have the recurring problem of Eskom, continuing to fall short of adequate coal reserves, confidently saying they have sourced diesel, at a cost far higher than what the coal would have cost to keep the lights on.

This will increase Eskom’s losses. It is a no-brainer as to who will be expected to pay off the everspiralling debt of this utility.

This will adversely affect not only the hospitality industry, traders and others during the forthcoming holiday season, but will impact the psyches of those people who work for 11 months to be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labour during the festive season.

If this isn’t a country in crisis, then I don’t know what is!

What I see is similar to a person who has had a horrific accident and who lies gushing blood, while those who need to help him or her stand and watch with arms folded.

Then once that person has breathed their last, they all run around like chickens with their heads chopped off, making a huge noise about the state of the patient, wondering whether the kiss of life will bring them back from the dead. When will enough really be enough? When will there be a definitive cessation of this bleeding of the fiscus? When will the perpetrators be brought to book?

Or will those in authority keep on pouring out false promises for votes, while focusing on electioneering and posturing in a country bereft of proper action to turn around this disaster?

Stop rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic and fix the gaping hole in the ship. Just like the Titanic, there are not enough lifeboats to cope with those who need saving. Soon those who are expected to invest in the country will sail to a safer environment.

Then the proverbial sh** will truly hit the fan.

There is no time for pussyfooting around the myriad issues decimating this country. Now is the time for change. And by that I don’t mean the hounds barking around every turn, to take the focus off proper governance. They are merely adding to the problem.