COSATU response to dismissal of Selebi appeal

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has noted the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissal of Jackie Selebi's appeal against his corruption conviction and prison sentence of 15 years. 

It is regrettable that a man with such an implacable record in the struggle against apartheid, is going to spend 15 years in prison for accepting R166 000, a small sum  compared to the amounts others are looting from the state through tenderpreneurship activities.

Nevertheless, in COSATU's view, corruption is as bad as apartheid was; both are based on marginalizing the poor most of whom are black in general and Africans in particular.

His spending time in prison will serve as a constant reminder to the corrupt elements in our society that crime does not pay. COSATU hopes that eventually all those who can't explain their huge bank balances and who can't explain how they became overnight multimillionaires will eventually join him in prison.

Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, December 2 2011

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