Newsletter 20 September: How we condone corruption by doing nothing, or brushing it under the carpet

Published on:

21 Sept 2013, 4:00 am

Hi there,

I had a hunch last week's invitation to write for Biznewz would generate positive response. What actually happened blew me away. Best read stories on the site on Wednesday and Thursday were both by community members. And today we're heading for a trifecta with the lovely "What it means to be an African".

This confirms something that's been mulling for a while. Journalists are trained to pass on the news, to communicate what their research suggests has happened. Some do it really well. But even the best cannot compare with the person on the spot.

That's why the best blogs are those which draw on personal experience. Whether it's about getting ripped off by a business; being abused by an authority figure or, as today's best read author on the site writes, the humiliation of being forced to complete a racial profiling form.

Please keep those contributions coming.

As this week's bloggers have proved, the Biznewz community is highly receptive to good writing on relevant subjects that comes from the heart. The best are no more than 800 words, chatty and, critically, share personal experiences.

I have also shared one of those on the site today today in the context around the interview involving Imperial's fight with SAA. My experience typifies the cavalier way big companies react to the cancer of corruption we're battling in South Africa.

This is an open and shut case.

The airline's procurement officer sought and received a bribe. Two thirds of the money SAA paid to the Moneyweb subsidiary was immediately repaid into a "marketing company" owned by the wife of the procurement officer. No services were ever delivered.

Only when we finally wrestled management control of the business did my colleagues discover what was going down. The next day I was in the office of SAA's financial director who brought the legal counsel and investigations officer around the table. They promised that this was being taken very seriously. My sworn affidavit was handed in to the Parkview Police Station. I was waiting for the court date. Am no longer holding my breath.

Because since then, nothing.

The procurement officer resigned. He may well be plying his nefarious trade at another State Owned Enterprise. No matter. That saved a lot of hassle. It gave everyone concerned the opportunity to sweep the whole ugly thing quietly under the carpet. Too much hassle. Too many important people involved. Like a retired US Ambassador.

All of which sends a clear message to everyone else that it's worth taking a risk on crime. If your bribery is discovered, just resign. If you steal money from the company, suggest that you might pay it back. And you get away. Scot free. That's the society we're becoming.

And we fret about the country "they" are creating for our children? And get angry when drivers openly break the law by chatting away on cell phones or jumping through red robots? Eisch.

All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Until next week.

Best
Alec