A fish always rots from the head

Corruption in SA has become almost too vast to comprehend, with figures in the billions causing people to lose focus on what is happening. Members of the parliament were reportedly visibly shocked at this week's presentation by Special Investigation Unit head Willie Hofmeyr, who outlined staggering corruption in the police, the SABC, government departments and municipalities. In the past financial year the SIU has acted on 16 new proclamations, the most in its history. This means 16 government departments and municipalities are being investigated for corruption running into billions of rands. Thousands of people with access to taxpayers' money are using it for crooked self-enrichment. Among the worst culprits is the police department. Hofmeyr told MP's that National Commissioner Bheki Cele's alleged indiscretions over the massive contracts for police office leases in Pretoria and Durban are only a small part of a much broader investigation into police procurement corruption. The pattern is repeated at the SABC, the Department of Public Works, and even the Department of Arts and Culture. Independent newspapers report that every municipality in the North West is under investigation. How did SA get into this situation? A FISH ALWAYS ROTS FROM THE HEAD! That applies in several government departments and perhaps at the very top. Former Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik are minor roleplayers. We may never know whether our President is guilty of the corruption charges he escaped, buthis exoneration feeds into the cancer devouring SA's moral fibre



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