EDITORIAL: Jessie Duarte’s history rewrite
Jessie Duarte claims that Tony Yengeni, the ANC’s latest figurehead in its, um, fight against corruption, has done ‘nothing wrong’
In the weekly instalment of an ahistoricism that has begun to define elements of the ruling ANC, deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has outdone herself. Duarte claimed this week that Tony Yengeni, the ANC’s latest figurehead in its, um, fight against corruption, had done "nothing wrong"."The conviction of Comrade Tony Yengeni worries many in the ANC. What are we saying? If you negotiate a vehicle in this country you dare not negotiate a discount because that’s corruption?"Well, that’s not what anyone is saying. Nor, in fact, is that what Yengeni was found guilty of.So, Ms Duarte, here’s a refresher: Yengeni accepted a discount from arms-deal bidder Daimler-Chrysler Aerospace while he chaired a committee on the acquisition of defence equipment — to be supplied by that bidder. In other words, that "discount" was a clear-cut case of conflict of interest. Yengeni admitted he’d violated his parliamentary position and the trust of the public when he cut a plea deal for which he rece...
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