By Chalotte Mokonyane
Archbishop Nkosinathi Ngesi, leader of the Ethiopian Episcopal churches in Southern Africa spoke to Grocott’s after attending the South African Council of Churches (SACC) Anti-Corruption Conference at which heads of churches across the country confronted what they see as a moral and political crisis gripping the nation.
Ngesi expressed profound frustration with the post-1994 government, saying those entrusted with power have failed the very people who elected them. He made a pointed reference to former President Jacob Zuma, whose corruption allegations, he said, exemplify how power and money can lead leaders to forget their duties and focus instead on enriching themselves and their families.
“When the head rots, the body also rots,” Ngesi said, adding that that corruption reached its peak during the Zuma administration and the damage since then has been difficult to control.
From the top down
The SACC members believe it’s now more challenging than ever to fight corruption because it has become systemic. The rot, they argue, flows from the “head” (national leaders) down to the “body” (local government). This makes it difficult to hold local officials accountable, as they often emulate the corrupt behaviour of their superiors.
During the conference, the SACC met with the former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and the current Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka who confirmed that no wrongdoing had been found on the part of President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning the Phala-Phala farm incident.
Ngesi also highlighted alarming revelations by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi about the involvement of police, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, and justice department prosecutors in corrupt activities. Ngesi used a powerful analogy: placing rotten apples with fresh ones in a basket will inevitably spoil the good ones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5WBIP7wF0
The conference also featured a powerful address by Judge Zondo. He shared his painful experience of presiding over the oath of office for ministers whom he knew had adverse findings against them. “It was painful for him knowing that certain people are criminals yet taking an officer of oath in front of him,” Ngesi said, relaying Judge Zondo’s sentiment.
Ngesi challenged Zondo on why his commission did not focus on municipalities where billions of rands are misspent. Ngesi believes this is a major source of the nation’s problems, as local government officials often lack the necessary qualifications and are not held accountable. Zondo admitted that the sheer number of municipalities made it impossible to include them in his commission’s scope, acknowledging that this was a mistake. Ngesi suggested that a separate commission should be established to specifically investigate and hold municipalities accountable.
A call to action
The conference emphasised that South African churches can no longer remain silent while the country’s values erode. Ngesi lamented the decline of fundamental values such as love, care, honesty, and integrity the very principles that provide a moral compass for individuals. He said these values have been eroded not just in government but also in businesses and even within churches.
To combat this moral decay, Ngesi announced a bold initiative said the SACC has decided that each church will provide a booklet of values for its members. He is calling on all public servants from various denominations to pledge before God that they will serve with integrity in an effort to return to the foundational principles necessary for a just society.
