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Stop Corruption!

Stop Corruption!

 

Ways of strengthening South African civil society towards becoming an ethical nation was the aim of a symposium held by DUT together with UMTAPO at the DUT School recently.

UMTAPO is a non-profit development organisation whose mission is to engage in education, training, community mobilisation and networking in order to empower people; particularly youth, to take control of their own lives in the struggle for sustainable development, peace and human rights. The organisation was established in 1986 in response to the rise of internecine violence within the black community and the resultant division and intolerance.

Addressing the symposium on the theme of Democracy, Human Rights and Anti-Corruption was UMTAPO Patron, Professor David Macharia, who welcomed the UMTAPO Student Movement (USM), civil society organisations, academic institutions, representatives from the public and private sectors and all anti-corruption groups, urging each individual to become part of the solution to one of the most critical issues affecting SA society. “Umtapo’s vision is a society that will be characterised by political, social and economic justice and values that are consistent with the spirit of Ubuntu. Its mission is to empower and enable people, particularly youth and women, through popular education and participatory development, to take control of their own lives. Let us get together and do what we must to stop corruption,” he urged.

 Prof Macharia has been at the University of Nairobi for many years in various positions from Dean to Head of Department of Extra-mural Studies. He has also been adviser to various Ministries of Education on the African continent, a founder member of the African Association for Literacy and Adult Education and former president of the International Community Education Association. He also received UMTAPO’s Steve Biko International Peace Award in 2003.

Also giving more insight into the root of corruption in society in was Deputy Public Protector Advocate Kevin Sifiso Malunga, whose main passion and job is on anti-corruption, human rights, fairness, equity and justice. He also spoke about the grassroot levels of corruptions and that for every bribe there is a corruptor. “The procurement in South Africa is one of the biggest challenges as far as corruption is concerned. I would estimate in terms of the work that we do that more that 60 percent of tenders are contaminated with some sort of influence which is untoward. We have laws in place but people are not following the rules and the culture of acquiring something for nothing is very big. We are not saying people should not be entrepreneurs, we are saying you (all civil societies) can also build the economy and have a sense of belonging and accountability,” he said.

Adv. Malunga holds a BA Law from the University of Swaziland. He also acquired an LLB degree from the then University of Natal (now University of KwaZulu-Natal) and an LLM in International Law from Georgetown University Law Centre, Washington DC. His most recent contributions include serving as spokesperson for the Marikana Judicial Commission of Inquiry which investigated circumstances surrounding the tragic strike at the Lonmin Mine in Marikana where over 40 people died.

Closing the session was the Ambassador of Finland to South Africa, Petri Salo, who emphasised that people needed to be committed to the creation of a more just and humane society and actively speak out against corruption but also look in engaging in activities with the youth to promote dialogue, unity and solidarity.

– Waheeda Peters

Pictured: Deputy Public Protector Adv. Kevin Sifiso Malunga and Petri Salo, Ambassador of Finland to South Africa, at the symposium.

 

 

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