Do any of us think opportunistic politicians will come to some realisation that we have hit absolute rock bottom when it comes to the public trust that government institutions will do the bare minimum and not steal funds meant to help the citizens they have been elected to serve?
Sunday Times Daily writes as bad as it sounds that the finance minister admits government needs outside help to ensure officials aren’t caught with their fingers in the cookie jar as funds are released for the KZN flood victims, it remains a good thing to have politicians on high alert to ward off any temptation.
“Trust levels are at an all-time low, which means dodgy officials are being watched like hawks.”
The independently managed Solidarity Fund will now manage the allocation of funds and as Sunday Times Daily writes
Meanwhile, Judith February asks how much longer South Africans just have to accept that government officials are corrupt and can’t be trusted?
“So while the President speaks to us in dulcet tones and promises to rebuild while ANC cadres seek the troughs for their snouts, it will be up to South Africans to once again pick themselves up from this disaster and coordinate efforts quite separately from our thieving government,” writes February.
And while Cyril Ramaphosa was at pains to place some of the blame for the flooding on climate change it goes without saying that a lack of infrastructure maintenance and town planning from his party, which governs in the affected areas, is not far behind.
Busisiwe Mavuso writes while nature is uncontrollable, more can be done to plan adequately, and the latest flooding should shake government awake to the need for climate adaptation measures and investment in infrastructure.
Here’s a round-up of opinions, editorials, and in-depth articles we’re reading:
SA’s bias towards Moscow has severely damaged our reputation – Editorial, The Citizen (for subscribers)
Ukraine: A false dawn for globalisation’s Age of Aquarius – Patrick Bulger, Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
The great resignation – retirement or relocation? – Craigh Chidrawi, Mail & Guardian
ANC opts for low-key economic policy tsar – Carol Paton, Fin24 (for subscribers)
FRIDAY BRIEFING | Damn! Why is civil society so hot? – Editorial, News24
Care needed in dealing with unclaimed pension benefits – Editorial, Business Day
Elon Musk embodies the quality people hate most in a boss – Sarah Todd, Quartz
