Government and private sector corruption appears to be the greatest threats facing South Africa’s future growth and prosperity. A battle is raging between the individuals tasked with exposing and investigating government corruption and the shady characters perpetrating these evil deeds.
Shortly after the news broke of the imminent arrest of Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, the media reports the head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Willie Hofmeyr is under investigation.
Madonsela and Hofmeyr have both uncovered rampant corruption in government departments and have consequently made themselves vulnerable to a backlash of attacks and counter charges.
In March this year, Willie Hofmeyr’s submission to the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament revealed the SIU was investigating a staggering amount of corruption cases in government departments.
Madonsela was finalising reports about SAPS contracts to lease new headquarters in Pretoria and Durban, for R500m and R1.1 billion respectively. In her preliminary report, Madonsela found National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele guilty of maladministration for his role in the leases.
Barely a week goes by without new and disturbing revelations of government and private sector corruption in South Africa. Billions of tax-payer rands are being siphoned away from desperately needed infrastructure and social development by greedy and unscrupulous government officials.
Rampant and unrestrained corruption has the very real potential of seriously undermining Africa’s largest economy. Corruption has already destroyed the potential of several nations in Africa.
Isaiah 59:13-15 issues this warning, “In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood, justice is turned back and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.”
The root of the problems we face in South Africa and elsewhere, is the absence of truth in the public square. Government corruption and deception in the media are advanced by the manipulation and distortion of the truth. As a result, truth lies wounded in the streets of the nation.
Consequently, in the current unchallenged climate of lies, deception and injustice, those who depart from evil and work to expose corruption and maladministration “make themselves a prey”.
When lies, deception and injustice dominate a nation’s public discourse, disaster is never far away.
Tragically, the God-ordained institution tasked with exposing evil and proclaiming truth in the public sphere is mostly silent. 1Tim 3:15, “The Church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth.”
The public debate in SA is currently starved of truth. The lies and deception peddled by certain government officials and the liberal media remain unchallenged – and therefore, legitimate.
The enemy operates by the principle “when a lie is repeated often enough – it becomes truth.” Biblical Christians understand the only way to expose a lie is by boldly proclaiming the truth.
This is a call to arms to the Body of Christ in South Africa. Take up your rightful position on the walls of the city. You cannot impact a culture when you are not engaged with that culture.
The Church of Jesus Christ must not lose its voice in boldly and courageously proclaiming the truth.
“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent!” Isaiah 62:6.