Duarte and the housing racket

Incompetence written in capital letters, yet again. But it's what one expects from "deployed cadres".

Racketing Duarte's surname as if it's criminal is wrong. Please state your facts without tarnish people's names as sems to be the norms of MG vandetta. We live in a country with Laws and credible courtsof law, if there is any evidence of wrong doings, please do us a favor, give it to relevant authorities to deal with it. I appreciate your investigative journalism but it should not cloud your judgement as i always argeu. This journalism profession will soon be an endangered specie.

R2-3 BILLION, to build 800 houses?! With personal trips and personal business interests clashing with government positions.

And the ANC wonders why it lost the WCape.

Lenate Mogale, if journalism is to become an endangered profession it will only be because of the success they have at uncovering incompetence, corruption, self enrichment, cronyism, stupidity etc in the ANC government. Please can anyone give us examples of government projects that have been successfully completed without any of the above negativity. It seems every time incompetence is uncovered there is a wife, husband, cousin, son or daughter of an ANC official involved.

Ah, BEE at its best. So much for uplifting historically disadvantaged individuals. The depths of corruption, incompetence and outright self serving ways of the ANC members is a disgrace to our country and a slap in the face to their electorate. People like lenate mogale (see comments) will one day realise that their African revolution is nothing but a few cadres taking money from the rich (which was meant for the poor) to enrich themselves. Shame on the ANC!!

Unbelievable. How many corruption scandals has the ANC had to answer to in the past year alone?

Scorpions, Scorpions......

Ag this is not biggie. The ANC will deny everything, or blame the DA for opportunistic politicking, or pull the race card. Just proof again of how many sheep we have in this country.

besides they employ unskilled ppl to deliver services and they never check there is service delivery. who's responsibility is it if a house was build and its falling in the same year. what kinda house is that.

Arrogant, incomptent, and corrupt. How proud we can be of our public servants!

Incredible that the CEO of the failed agency jumps to the top of the queue to sort it out? Has the man not done enough damage already? Will Thubelisha ever produce financial statements so we can see where all the money went?

Lets face it, it stinks.
As do most ANC projects where it soon becomes obvious that personal enrichment is the objective, not the specified objective relating to provision of housing, health, or whatever services to poor people.

I dont suppose anything will result from this. It never does. The ANC and its puppets such as the NPA would never prosecute while the new boys club band together to protect each other and convince the electorate that all is well.

BUT yet....are we closer to the tipping point. What would it take, how much clear, obvious and totally unambiguous corruption on an unbelievable scale would it take for the electorate to dump this sorry lot?
I am heartened by what is happening in Britain on the arms deal. I think we could be very close to specific people and bodies being specifically named as receivers of bribes as well as the amounts involved. That sort of evidence bandied in a British court would be very hard for the electorate to ignore, even though the ANC might try to convince them. After all, what apparently happened is that the ANC masterminded the procurement of 60 to 100 billion rands of arms, the vast majority of which the country and the Defence Force did not need, virtually bankrupting the country, in return for relatively small amounts of bribes.

My sense is that the tipping point is close.

Always the same names at the top that is so full of controversy. Like a bunch of top echelons that rule and run this country in to the ground for own personal gain. That is why we have BEE to protect their [the top echelons] rights and money. We will never grow as a nation when the few at the top that just take what they want and to hell with the rest of us. The arms deal (BAE debacle) is going to give us some names of who they are! The top crooks, swindlers and corrupt few at the top. Hehehehe.

Duncan McGregor I agree, now we can see why the Scorpions had to go. Doesn’t say much about the hawks!

My thought...is how many "100 of thousands ,if not Millions of homes", could already have been already built..with all the wasted,dismally failed projects and corrupted monies..that have filtered into the "ANC Top Dog's Pockets" !!??

When,oh when..will the "Sleeping Giant/The ANC Black electorate"..wake up and say, "Enough is Enough..it is time for the ANC TO GO". Maybe, like Alan Watkins, says, the Tipping Point is Close - I hope so, but I dont know..but in the meantime..by their own actions..the Black Electorate, remain "Addicted to their Own Poverty"!!

Toy toyting, barracading streets,burning tires..is not going to help..thats short term Anger ,that will be put down !

The only long term solution...is get clean competent officials with a strong moral,non-corruptable leader..such as Zille..to sweep the garbage/ANC out.

South African electorate..how much more do you need to convince you...Its time to wake up..and smell the roses !!

It greaves me to observe this level of simple incompetance.

This government have had access to the sucessfull low cost management methods employed prior to 1994, by Durban & Cape Town city councils in Pheonix and Mitchels Plain and even the National Party 'Community Development Villages' and many others.
The Housing Ministers can be forgiven for making some mistakes in the early years after 1994 especially after Joe Slovo introdiced the Peoples Housing Process which granted individual subsidy's to individuals. That has been a disaster to manage, as you do not have the benefit of scale that is essential for the provision of low cost housing.

Given the benefit of believing that brazen corruption has not been the driver of this disaster. It can be perhaps be accepted that in the early years, the succesive Ministers "did not know" but the tragety is they really "do not know they don't know" !

I am still waiting for the day that a Minister accepts the responsibility of Governments failure to provide a long term plan to house our people with a house that is 'fit for purpose' AND will last 50 years !

These comments are from a very depressed Project Manager that has to drive past the N2 Gateway 'NEW SHACKS' errected on the way to a National Airport most days. Shame on you Lidiwe Sisulu !

Those suffering are simply guaranteed more suffering.

Lenata wrote: " ...if there is any evidence of wrong doings, please do us a favor, give it to relevant authorities to deal with it." Yeah right, we trust the "authorities" to deal with their comrades. Over 700 charges against comrade Zuma was promptly swept under the carpet with comrade Jessie at the forefront of the sweeping exercise... The comrades are plundering the country and the voters overwhelmingly encourage them to do so every 4 years. COPE, where are you? We need a real alternative to the comrade fat cats sucking our country dry!!

The same old story of corruption keeps surfacing. The same powers that be just laugh it off since they know that we are quite happy to put up with the corruption, violence, murder and mayhem that exists in SA today and when we go to the polls next time they will be voted in again anyway so they do not have a care in the world! Carry on regardless since there is no retribution at all - We have definitely lost our way with our leaders who are leading us off a cliff! (sadly they have our full support!)

Is John Duarte a relation to Jesse Duarte, the Gauteng spokesperson who was involved in the Sibeko/Duarte incident some years back? (Drunken driving charges, wrecking a goivernement vehicle etc, which resulted in Mkhabela Sibeko losing his job as deputy Director General). If so it seems the fruit does not fall too far from the tree.

We are paying through the nose for the incompetence of "politcally appointed comrades" all over the country.

Prof. Mthuli Ncube, Executive Director, Wits Business School and President, South African Business Schools Association wrote recently re BEE under the slug "BEE: Necessary evil or economic justice?"
He states "The core essence of justice is challenged at the thought of a white individual who meets the given criteria, but is shunned because of his skin colour. The question then arises; can previous injustices be set right by the same system?"

Also, rewarding individuals on the basis of colour encourages an apathy that breeds mediocrity. How can we breed a nation that does not settle for mediocrity but instead works to achieve excellence at all costs?

Which is exactly why our country is going down the drain faster than we think. We simply cannot continue to place incompetent people in positions of responsibility as has been done up to now. The number of BEE projects that have failed have cost our country billions.

And why should someone who claims to have been disadvantaged be given a handout of millions, simply because of skin colour? (How many white English speaking South Africans were disadvantaged by Nationalist policies?) Certainly, help whoever it is in starting a business, but to just give 5% to 10% of shares in a long established business to someone just because of skin colour is criminal.

And when these "political appointed" incompetents fail, they are fired by way of a golden handshake and another few million handout!

Patrick Flusk, the SAA CEO, the ESKOM clowns, various City managers, the list, although not endless, does stretch into the distance. Add to thsi those who have stolen public funds and we have an even more serious situation looming in the near future.

BEE, the Equity Bill and Affirmative Action are slowly ruining our country and it's economy. What could be more ludicrous than someone like Malema the Mouth, who couldn't pass Standard 10, being able to afford a R38 000 monthly rental, personal bodyguards and cars worth in the region of R3 million rand? All on an ANCYL salary of R20 000 monthly. Pull the other one it has bells on it.

Jim Sutcliffe, former CEO of Old Mutual says that according to the South Advertising and Research Foundation, "Nearly half a million black adults moved into the middle income bracket in 2006. The number of black people in the upper brackets grew 30% and proportion of blacks in the top income bracket is now 20%, up from close to zero a decade ago."

I challenge the Government of South Africa to employ just 1 honest person. Just 1 honest individual. Honesty and Passion is not part of the Criteria when being appointed. SA Sucks!!!!!!!!!! The 1st chance I get to leave this God Forsaken country I will take my family and get the F8ck out of dodge.

Just to drag this discussion down to a practical level, I thought that the NHBRC (National House Builders Registration Council) was supposed to do quality control on low cost housing projects .. does anyone know if they contribute anything at all to these projects? Perhaps they are also slaves to laissez faire and mediocrity.

These are some if not not all the challenges faced by the Zuma administration.Fraud and corruption remains a criminal offence whether ochestrated by husbund,wife,son,daughter of any prominant figure of the anc.The minister of human settlement will have to investigate and do what is right.

@Mbuzeni Isaac Ngwenya Let's hope the right thing will be done.

Incompetence is not constituted under the something-wrong-under-the-law umbrella, and we would be a hopeless society if all we do is to detect it without offering feasible antidoctes. A better alternative to just identifying the 'ANC ignorance' is to do as suggested by Arch. Ndungane; find out what sustains it. Not because we want the ANC to regain the WC, but to make SA a better place to live-in for everybody.

Luzuko Gongxeka

What sustains it?

If you want to make South Africa a better place you have to vote for the people that is making it better, not to the people that for the past 15 years promised to do so. It is a fact that the ANC lies. Compare the ANCs service delivery against other parties. Compare the amount of criminals in their executive to the amount in other parties.

It is very obvious that your question ‘what sustains it?’ can best be answered, the incompetent, corrupt leadership RULING (not serving) our country.

Moloko

Changing the ballot might not be feasible right now, hence I am saying this is not about bringing the ANC back to the Western Cape (another alternative lacking in feasibility), but about ensuring a culture of effecient and effective public service delivery. If we keep hurling insults to the ruling party, we'll never understand that which sustains the profligacy with public resources (money and time).

something must be done,how do we as the people who suppose to make good as mandated by the electorate do bad instad,I'm still in favoure of the ANC policies which in turn make me believe that the aANC is still the party to vote for but good people of the South stop ripping our tax deducted from our hard earned money the way you do becouse you are in positions of athourity,pls!pls!pls!

More bread and butter from the ANC. When will our electorate wake up!?

Luzuko

But this can not be done as the ANC itself is inefficient and corrupt. This is not hearsay but fact. Look at the mess Lindiwe created, how Nyami Booi is treated, how Mo Shaik is now head of the NIA… the depth of irregularities, incompetence and lack of transparency is breathtaking. If you disagree, will you please furnish me with particulars of ANY governmental department (except the revenue service) that is run effectively and efficiently?

Unfortunately we are stuck with this mess until the next election comes along. I just hope the majority will vote right in stead of voting wrong and complain and strike about it for the following four years.

Well for me it’s a question of weak governance structures. If someone is corrupt let the courts judge them accordingly. What is however annoying is opportunism from many white contributors in this forum. It suggests that anything that is BEE and black is incompetent. As soon as that happens, the real issue gets lost. As a proud black man I then start defending my race from opportunistic attacks. I then remind these people that the biggest looting in the history of Africa was done by whites. In fact just before ANC took power in 1994, billions of Rands disappeared! Finally I say; if you living in a glass house don't throw stones. By then the point of the article and its exposure of dubious business practices is lost. Corruption affects all South Africans, regardless of race. Stop accusing blacks for everything. Behind all corrupt deals is always white people and sometimes Indians. Corruption knows no race; please de-racialise the topic if you are serious about tackling it.

Freedom Ndlovu

Why do you feel you have to go the ‘black and white’ route?
You say ‘…If someone is corrupt let the courts judge them accordingly…’

But what did your ANC do with Nyami Booi who is a convicted fraudster? They protected him. This is not a race issue. It is about the ANC saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. This unfortunately discredits the ruling party and their leadership. Secondly, the fact that Lindiwe left the housing in taters did not cause her any punishment at all. In stead she was redeployed.

Does the ANC not want competent, credible people in high positions? And why not? Does the ANC not want the best people to serve their electorate on the promises they made for the past 15 years?

Ndlovu: The apartheid government got overthrown. White people decided to do something about it.

While you, just ignore the looting and corruption and incompetence within the ANC.
Even though, YOU KNOW, its going on.

Agreed Louis, same names same crime and we need to get rid of money grabbing individuals. That is as far as our agreement goes. I object venomously to your assertion that BEE protects some Black people in filling their pockets. You clearly have not lived in SA or was not familiar with the history of the African continent... the names Dromedarus, Jan van Riebeeck etc should mean something to you in this regard... let’s not act as if land grabbing, theft and cover ups are new found inventions by the ruling black government... let’s do some digging on land procurement when there was a Jan Smuts Airport... lets see whose fingers were in that cookie jar. As much as I despise the fact that a few are stealing and covering it up we should not lose sight of why BEE had to come into effect... to assist with distributing the wealth of the country more equitably, you may or may not agree but reality states that economic rule and power is still heavily skewed toward the minority group in SA .

this country is going down the drain because of blind patriotism to the ANC,Millions of S.A that rubberstamped ANC Crooks(Election) were just wrong,

I have been following your debate with great interest and just wanted to add my view. There is a difference Sinudeity between handing over power and being forced to do so. Let’s not confuse the issue and act like power was willingly handed to Black people. White people had no real desire to give up the power and we decided that it was time for you to give up power.
I agree with you when you say that we should not turn a blind eye to looting and corruption. I would not like to act that it is ok for black people to do the same as their predecessors... if the truth be told Corruption, looting and cover-ups were there well before the current government. Let’s agree on rooting this out by being proactive citizens and not to sit back and say see.... told you so, "they are all in it for the money"

I challenge the Government of South Africa to employ just 1 honest person. Just 1 honest individual. Honesty and Passion is not part of the Criteria when being appointed. SA Sucks!!!!!!!!!! The 1st chance I get to leave this God Forsaken country I will take my family and get the F8ck out of dodge.
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I could see this coming from Day 1. It breaks my heart to see this.

I could not agree with you more Freedom. Let's leave race out of it.

i wonder whether ANC still blames Mbeki for its corrupted people.Absolutely, NO!Mbeki's family set an examblery to work hard to be where they are.bUT THIS Polokwane clan, has aliving corrupting virus.

Jessie always came across as a shady character so it no surprise that she is married to another shady character...birds of a feather. What hurts the most about this is when you see the dire poverty that so many are living in and yet these ANC idiots continue to plunder with impunity. Have they no shame? How do they sleep at night?

Freedom Ndlovu:
I am a White 100% Afrikaner boy and I totally agree with you about deracialising the issue in order to tackle the issues. We Afrikaners were just as sensitive about criticism from the Souties in the past about our incompetence and backwardness. My father used to tell me how we showed the world that "Yes, we can" when we created Armscor, Sasol, Musgrave, Iscor, Rembrandt, etc. and how De Wet licked the mighty imperialistic army of Milner and Chamberlain in the Boere Oorlog. He kept reminding me about it in order to show me that I too belong to a race who can keep its chin up. So, I understand your sentiments totally. It is time that you and I realise that we are all South Africans who suffer from the greed and incompetence of the current government where Afrikaners, like Carl Niehaus, tried to get their fingers just as deep into the cookie jar as the rest of them on the strength of their political connections. We are all the same. The thing is that South Africa's electorate should start to look past skin colour as an excuse for what is going on and begin to use their voting power to make the current crooks suffer the consequences of the greed, arrogance and corruption for the good of me and you and our fellow citizens.

OK, do not vote for teh ANC to avoid all corruption, nepotism, etc.But who do you vote for? Zille is still unacceptable to most blacks because she is white. COPE, which initially seemed as a viable alternative to the ANC, acceptable to both black and whitge, turned out to be a completely dysfunctional, invisible and inept bunch. This is the real reason why the electorate always keeps voting ANC even if they are dissatisfied.

Let’s not confuse the issue and act like power was willingly handed to Black people. White people had no real desire to give up the power and we decided that it was time for you to give up power.Che Abrahams on October 2, 2009, 4:08 pm
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Che, this is a romantic but deeply divisive notion. I was one of the white people who contibuted to the overwheliming "yes" vote in that referendum. The last thing on my, and my fellow white yes voter's minds were AK47 against our heads, forcing us to vote yes. My sole, I repeat, sole motivation was the desire to do the right thing and do my bit to help make South Africa a true democracy for the benifit of us all. There was no such thing as handing over power from one race group to another race group as you suggests. Your notion totally discounts the motiviation of a new breed of white South Africans who are now becoming sinical by you and people like you's notion of "taking over power by force and subjecting those vanquished to the punishment of the victors by means of BEE, etc." This is the surest way to keep South Africa a divided nation and stoking the fires of unrest.

Che Abrahams: Im sure power was not willingly handed over. But, the fact stands, there was a referendum in '92. And the majority of white people voted favorably. Against the government of the time.

As for being proactive about making improvements in government. I do this all the time. But my criticism is called racism.

Booi excused of corruption this week. Keeps his job. Billions spent on this project, and nobody is being held accountable. Duarte simply got redeployed to the military.

Institutional corruption, a chANCre which refuses to heal, left to itself.
Only the electorate may provide the remedy.

And they still vote for the people who fcuked them up.
Well,they can't read,are kept illiterate and told that the media should not be trusted as it is owned by the anti revolutionaries.

I guess that's Africa where dictators survive on the political uneducated and they perpetuate it as long as they can flush the taxpayers money.
****************We have an incompetent parliament,corrupt public service,partisan police ,judiciary and intelligence agencies.

**********************WE ARE FCUKED***********************

I can't blame the government, they have been doing this for decades and still get more than 60% of the public vote, do you think any newspaper or bunch of intellectuals are going to take this country further? If the citizens of SA keep voting these criminals in they deserve them!

All concerns and observations noted Komo and Sinudeity.I am however concerned that every time we attempt calling a spade a spade and not a digging implement that I am called divisive and un patriotic. The point I am making is the following:
1. There are numerous rotten apples in the ANC's government basket. We have to root these out and make them accountable.
2. I still object to the view that we got to the rainbow nation as a total agreement that the past was wrong and that power should be handed over. Please revisit the Codesa forum and see how truly difficult this was...
4. My assertion is that we accept that pressure and pressure alone got us to where we are currently and that by reengineering the nuances around power was given and not taken is quite frankly hog wash and that we move on and accept this as a fact.