Last week we reported on links between senior women in the African National Congress and a privately run deportation centre contracted to the Home Affairs Ministry. On Tuesday the ANC reacted with a statement defending the “rights” of its members to “seek a stake in the mainstream of the economy of our country”. On Wednesday we received an indignant letter from lawyers representing the ANC women concerned, describing any suggestion that they had benefited financially as “devoid of any truth”.
The episode underlines the worrying confusion of the ANC where ethical considerations are concerned. Technically the ANC is right in saying its members are free to engage in economic activity. But, no matter what assurances they give as to their worthy motives, there is obviously a potential conflict of interest if they are involved in a commercial transaction with a government of which they are members.
They open themselves to further criticism when they engage in activities which stand to benefit from the misfortunes of others stemming from government policy. Clearly, the lawyers recognised this point; unfortunately, their clients’ organisation does not.
A similarly worrying statement of principle was displayed by President Nelson Mandela this week with his remark that the opinions of countries which had bankrolled the liberation struggle had to be taken into account when deciding with which countries South Africa would establish diplomatic relations. There has been much rumour about countries which bankrolled the ANC, and speculation as to the possible linkage between such funding and foreign policy. The suggestion that the ANC puts party above country is given weight by the president’s comments.
Last week Parliament introduced a register of MPs’ interests. It is now time there was a similar declaration of parties’ interests with regard to foreign funding. Maybe it is worth introducing a course in civics for politicians — as long as the contract does not go to prominent members of the ANC anxious to assert their right to “seek a stake in the mainstream of the economy”.