SAFTU statement on the damning Public Protectors findings against the President

19 July 2019

SAFTU has noted that the Public Protector issued a report that found that President Cyril Ramaphosa “misled parliament” over the R500 000 Bosasa payment account. 

SAFTU as a matter of principle insist that the Public Protector remedial action must be complied with. The individuals concerned have a right to challenge the remedial actions in a Court of Law if they believe they are wrong. Until when that happens the Public Protector remedial actions are binding on all. 

Having said that, there is nothing that demonstrates that the state capture is rooted in the gang of wars of various factions of the capitalist class, which is premised on a primary objective of looting the economy and capture the state for its own interests for profits and greed. 

The statement made today is that capitalists lined up against each other to buy influence of the ruling elites for their own benefit. The state itself has long been put up for sale to the highest bidder. 

The foreign culture of leaders putting together lobbying teams and raising money is not only talking to the extent of rot and corruption of our politics but more importantly it demonstrate how the country is being held in hostage by the interests of capitalist class. In their quests to buy influence in order to positions themselves to be the real winners they have corrupted our body politics and undermined our democracy. All this is equivalent to spitting on the graves and legacy of the liberation struggle heroes and heroines who laid their very lives for a country based on humanity, solidarity and social justice. 

The ANC together with alliance partners have been captured by capital various and warring capitalist factions all trying to outsmart each other. Over a period of time the bad ethics and traditions of the capitalists class have infiltrated these organisations and destroyed their value system and principles. The capitalist’s ethos talks to ‘me first to hell with everyone else’. 

Today political turmoil speaks to the reality that has now reached the rock bottom. It’s a dog eats dog, cut throat politics, survival of the fittest and devil takes the weakest.  It’s a Devil vs. a Devil situation and there are no Angels!

Imagine a situation where OR Tambo had a slush fund to fuel his ambitions to be a President of the ANC. Others will say the conditions have changed. Imagine if Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki asked business friends to donate money in a fund a campaign to help them ascend to the President of the ANC.

What were these millions used for – did they buy delegates? More importantly who paid these millions? Do these companies and individuals benefit in any way from the state tenders? As a matter of fact, it is not only the Ramaphosa faction that uses money!

Politically, how legitimate is the Nasrec result are and all other conferences for that matter? Is this not the reason why the leaders elected get contested the very next day following their elections? If a billion rands were used to win the conference, how much money is there to buy the country? 

How would the ANC leadership stop a local councillor who uses money to buy the branch delegates to get him or herself elected into the position of a chairperson?

SAFTU acknowledge that this trend has infiltrated even union politics. But now that the whole country is being forced to endorse these cutthroat politics. 

The working class and the country are witnessing a political and economic turmoil caused by small elites capturing the most important organs of the people’s power and the state through money.  The working class is paying a full price for this already. 

The working class and the whole country are on their own! The country is on an autopilot as the various factions have long abandoned the historic mission hence the current levels of unemployment, poverty and inequalities. 

Faced with this deepening capitalist crisis the working class has no choice but to deepen the levels of unity amongst themselves and to forge a new path for the country. 

Issued on behalf of SAFTU, 19 July 2019