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Cape Town - Save SA convenor Sipho Pityana launched a scathing attack not only on President Jacob Zuma in his address at the Cape Town Press Club on Thursday, but told South Africa's private sector to clean up their act and “eradicate corruption in its own ranks”.
“When the corruption in the construction industry for example emerged after the 2010 Soccer World Cup, business didn't come forward and demonstrate how they'd fight corruption,” he said. “It's time business started cleaning up its own act.”
Seven listed construction companies that were implicated agreed in October 2016 to collectively contribute R1.5bn to a fund earmarked for socio-economic development over a 12-year period.
FULL ADDRESS: Sipho Pityana at the Cape Town Press Club
This was in addition to a R1.4bn fine imposed on WBHO, Aveng, Murray & Roberts, Group Five, Basil Read, Raubex and Stefanutti Stocks by the competition authorities. The companies have a combined annual construction revenue of about R45bn.
Each company CEO had to sign an “integrity commitment” to implement steps to ensure there are no collusive or corrupt practices in the company, its dealings with government, competitors or any other private clients, Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Jeff Radebe said at a post-Cabinet media conference at the time.
Speaking at the Press Club, Pityana said the private sector should come up with its “own blueprint of how it will commit to transform the economy and help create an equitable society”.
WATCH: Treasury is the last hurdle to state capture - Pityana
“Once business does that, it won't come across as wanting to stop government to achieve its agenda for economic justice.”
Pityana said Save SA is calling on all South Africans to "claim their rights as citizens and stand against corruption and impunity".
"We are calling on citizens to find their voices again, to begin to craft the kind of South Africa we can be proud of, and to speak openly about the attributes we want in our leaders."
Scathing attack on Zuma
In a scathing attack on Zuma, Pityana said National Treasury “is the last frontier between Zuma and unfettered access to the coffers of the state of this country”.
Pityana, who is also chairperson of AngloGold Ashanti and Izingwe Capital, said “Zuma and his cronies' attempts to loot the fiscus are frustrated by National Treasury”.
“When our National Treasury is overrun it will be game over for South Africa,” he said. “If you have no sense of what a nuclear deal will mean for SA, think about this: we'll work for the Russians for the rest of our lives. Our children would be slaves of the Russians.
“When Project State Capture is complete, our state-owned entities will provide unfettered access to state resources for Zuma and his cronies and family members,” he said.
READ: If Zuma gets hands on Treasury, it's game over for SA - Pityana
