is there a way out of the corruption spiral we are observing destroying our country?

I propose that South Africa should consider simultaneously offering an amnesty for all acts of corruption to date, while implementing stringent and powerful (politically unhindered) corruption-control mechanisms into the future.  Doing this, I believe, could go a long way to halting the spiral of corruption and organised crime we are experiencing in South Africa.

What is the problem?

Organised crime and lawlessness in South Africa is tearing apart our social fabric and threatens to destroy the economy of the country.  Corruption at all levels fuels this process because it acts as a catalyst and facilitator of other crimes. 

When political leadership is corrupt, the peace services (police, judiciary, etc) become corrupt.  When the peace services become corrupt, there can be no control of crime.  This is the pattern, the spiral, we are seeing playing out in South Africa at present.

How did it start?

For whatever reason there has been considerable corruption in our political leadership - too much smoke for there not to be fire!  It is easy to understand that one of the reasons a person might support the disbanding of the Scorpions (for example), would be to ensure that the fire of their wrong-doings remains undiscovered. 

Political leaders who have, perhaps unwittingly, committed corruption in the past, find themselves in situation where they need to use their political power to suppress the discovery of that corruption - they are caught in an unyielding spiral of corruption.  This ongoing political warfare against the country's corruption-control mechanisms is tearing the country apart and fostering an atmosphere conducive to organised crime.

How can it be stopped?

How do we liberate people who have been caught in this cycle, and in so doing liberate the mechanisms of the state to fight corruption?

I suggest we take a compassionate view; a view that says there was enormous change in the '90s and understands that a subjugated people liberated may easily trip when suddenly all power and control mechanisms are in their hands for the first time ever.

I believe in 'starting again' - liberating people who may feel that they are trapped (by their past actions) and forced to act in a way that is fundamentally against their good nature and ethical political beliefs.

What is the solution?

I believe that if we simultaneously offer an amnesty for all acts of corruption to date, while implementing stringent and powerful (politically unhindered) corruption-control mechanisms into the future, we could begin the process of halting the spiral of corruption and organised crime we are experiencing in South Africa.