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 Corruption now defines the socio-economic and political landscape. It defines who we are. What a tragedy 

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THE release of statistics by Corruption Watch, showing that one in four Johannesburg drivers have been asked for bribes by the city's metro cops, comes as no surprise.

Not so long ago, Markinor, a research firm, published findings of a survey which showed that corruption was increasingly becoming "normal" for many South Africans.

Already, tender rigging has become part of the normal political lexicon. It's no longer shocking to many South Africans.

In a way, corruption now defines the socio-economic and political landscape. It defines who we are.

What a tragedy.

One needs to have "connections" in high places to secure certain jobs or a tender in state-owned enterprises and to a certain extent in private firms. If you don't have the right political and business connections, you will then be required to pay a bribe to establish those connections. South Africans seems to have settled for that.

Why wouldn't they? Everyday the anti-corruption preachers are themselves caught with their hands in the till. Many walk around with corruption allegations hanging around their necks, ready to spew out conspiracy theories each time they are about to be nailed.

They are unable to grasp the irony inherent in their rhetoric that as they point a finger at others, the three other fingers are pointing at them. Such is the nature of our political leadership. "Strange breed" indeed.

It is little wonder then that the anti-corruption mantra from the corridors of power sounds hollow even as the anti-corruption voices are raised. The establishment of Corruption Watch, a civil society initiative that also includes Cosatu, was partly a result of this frustration.

Now that Corruption Watch has begun to do its work, we eagerly await the results.

The scale of traffic-related corruption is just the tip of an iceberg. More statistics need to be unearthed about how many police officers have asked for bribes in order to make case dockets disappear. What is even more disconcerting about these bribery scandals is that even in instances where they are caught the cops are hardly ever prosecuted.

Why are they not being made to follow their leader, Jackie Selebi? Have they become more sophisticated?

The starting point to rid our society of corruption is to regain our sense of shock.

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Tue May 21 16:45:16 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 24, 2012

candilious

WTF-You shocked now only you guys are embarrising this is happeing for how long now
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Apr 24, 2012

Fred55

This country has become so corrupt and the leadership of the ANC. There was corruption under the National Party of Apartheid Days but now it has become a national sport.
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Apr 24, 2012

Magwabane

I think what it is being said here is and i quote "Corruption now defines the socio-economic and political landscape. It defines who we are. What a tragedy ". Meaning that your "not being amazed" by corruption show the extent to which corruption has been accpted as a norm
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Apr 24, 2012

SeshegoGuY

Eish! Confession: I have bribed a Cop more than once--- God Forgive me
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Apr 24, 2012

Bdoobs

Zuma's leadership is built on a corrupt foundation even his compound in Nkandla is built on corruption, plus the ANC is corrupt to the core. These findings are no surprise to me, in fact, "we ANC nothing yet".
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Apr 24, 2012

JajasQueen

@SeshegoGuY
Eish! Confession: I have bribed a Cop more than once--- God Forgive me
_________________________

Since we are confessing our sins - I bought a traffic officer a very expensive cooldrink once too.

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Apr 24, 2012

tsayaya

JajasQueen
@SeshegoGuY
Eish! Confession: I have bribed a Cop more than once--- God Forgive me
_________________________

Since we are confessing our sins - I bought a traffic officer a very expensive cooldrink once too.
========================================================================
i slept with a female traffic officer, *crying*
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Apr 24, 2012

CheeseBoy

a dead fish always rots from the head. the rot in govt starts from the top. 20 mil a year for an army of wives and children I mean WTF? girlfriends getting tenders, now in the media mduli's wives children and kin are enjoying tax payers money through holidays and flights. nuff said, i could write a book.
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Apr 24, 2012

JajasQueen

@CheeseBoy
a dead fish always rots from the head. the rot in govt starts from the top. 20 mil a year for an army of wives and children I mean WTF? girlfriends getting tenders, now in the media mduli's wives children and kin are enjoying tax payers money through holidays and flights. nuff said, i could write a book.
_________________________________

It actually rots from the stomach first! As with everything else - the stomach goes first!

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Apr 24, 2012

NO-NONSE

WE VOTED FOR ANC TO BE WORSE THAN NATIONAL PARTY. THIEVES ARE BEING MOBILISED TO STEAL MORE FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THESE STOLEN MONEY ARE THEN BEING SIPHONED BACK INTO ANC COFFERS. THE THIEVES ARE THEN REDEPLOYED TO GO AND STEAL MORE BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WORK THEY DID PREVIOUSLY

SO THE COPS ARE NOT STEALING, THEY ASKING FOR PASSELA, SEE?

It actually rots from the stomach first! As with everything else - the stomach goes first!

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