If citizens are subject to political oppression, if they suffer political or religious persecution, if they can no longer trust that their safety or property will be protected, if economic activity is fettered and the rule of law is absent; then these are the indications that systemic corruption is present. There cannot be good stewardship of one’s assets or stable employment in a society in which corruption reigns.
Evidence of government corruption in South Africa is frequently paraded in our daily newspapers and screens, but let us not launch a crusade solely against government, even if they are usually central in the issues. Systemic corruption goes deeper than that; it involves the large capital monoliths such as banks and multi-national corporations. It also involves grass roots citizens.
It includes those who would entrain the funds contained in large pension plans in a bid to control public utilities. This naturally occurs with the assistance of government role-players, and the outcome is that an honest citizen’s retirement money is used to fund an alternative taxation system. His money is taken from him through expensive privatised water, electrical and toll road facilities. The Honest Citizen pays more for these alternative taxes than he reaps dividends from his pensions.
