ANC dominated parliament fails the people of South Africa due to state capture

29 November 2017

South Africa’s parliament is supposed to protect the country’s citizens against transgressions like state capture, but the present ANC-dominated parliament failed miserably in doing so, says Dr Pieter Groenewald, leader of the FF Plus.

Yesterday with the parliamentary debate on state capture and the government’s accountability, Dr Groenewald said that the separation of powers is one of the pillars of democracy. That separation is there to ensure that the legislative authority holds the executive authority accountable.

“If we say that this parliament is responsible for holding the executive authority accountable, then we need to keep in mind that as members of parliament, we are accountable to the voters and tax payers of South Africa.

“We are elected to parliament to assure tax payers that their hard-earned money, paid for taxes, will be managed responsibly. 

“State capture does not happen overnight. It is a long process. When corruption is tolerated, it instigates the process of state capture. In South Africa, corruption already started and was allowed during the reign of the former President, Thabo Mbeki.

“A shining example is the former National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi. How long did we have to wait before steps were taken against him? The corruption has escalated to such a degree that today we are no longer talking of millions of rands, but billions.

“Opposition parties have come into this council chamber with motions and questions to ask the government what it is doing about the corruption times without number. We are yet to receive an answer. The ANC government owes the people of South Africa an apology,” says Dr Groenewald.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus Leader, 29 November 2017