LETTER: Vote for graft fighters

Whether or not the MK Party enters the electoral lists, the voters of SA need to make countering corruption the central issue in the upcoming national and provincial elections (“MK party formally names Jacob Zuma as presidential candidate”, March 13).

Corruption is the issue because it underlies so many of the popular complaints identified by the media and pollsters. Joblessness, load-shedding, lack of consistent water supply and all the failures of service delivery that would render SA safe, peaceful and successful are largely underpinned by rampant corruption, unpunished looting and general lawlessness across the land.

In our constitutional democracy under the rule of law, the state is obliged to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights promised to all in our Bill of Rights. Those obligations are impossible to perform in a context in which looting with impunity and unbridled criminality are the order of the day.

All the political parties of any consequence, with the single exception of the ANC, recognise that a new anti-corruption entity housed in the protective architecture of chapter nine of the constitution is the best way to achieve compliance with the constitutional requirements of the law for countering corruption effectively.

Voters should be sure to check the stance of the party or independent candidate they favour on the corruption issue before casting their votes.

Paul Hoffman, SC
Accountability Now

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