President Thabo Mbeki drew on Mahatma Gandhi for inspiration on Friday night in a new call for an end to corruption and dishonesty, which he said prejudiced the poor.
In a speech prepared for delivery at a function in Durban hosted by the Gandhi Development Trust, Mbeki said that like Gandhi, South Africans should show ”an unwavering commitment” to improve the lives of the poor.
”This also requires that we conduct a sustained struggle against corruption, against the abuse of positions of authority for theft of resources that belong to the people, for self-enrichment instead of serving the people,” he said.
Quoting the Indian nationalist leader who spent several years in South Africa early in his career, Mbeki urged the audience to ”recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man (and woman) whom you have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him (and her)”.
”Once we have recalled this face of the poorest and weakest, we will not steal from the public purse and deny these people the possibility to lead a better life,” the president said.
”Once we have recalled this face of the poorest and weakest we shall avoid telling lies so that our governments would be forced to use limited resources to refute what we know are, in reality, misrepresentations of reality.
”Once we have recalled this face of the poorest and weakest we will respond swiftly to the needs of the most vulnerable in our society so that we accelerate the process towards a better life.”
Mbeki received the Gandhi Award for Peace and Reconciliation, at the function.
Describing Gandhi as a ”great hero of the 20th Century” Mbeki accepted the award on behalf of individuals in South Africa, India and all developing countries who sacrificed and continue to sacrifice their lives for freedom, democracy and development.
The Gandhi Development Trust was celebrating the centenary of the newspaper Indian Opinion, which was established by Gandhi on June 4, 1903, and that of Ilanga lase Natal founded by John Dube in the same year.
Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini and KwaZulu-Natal premier Lionel Mtshali were also scheduled to attend the function. ‒ Sapa