Chronicle Editor
Editor: The arrest of two senior employees at Lupane Local Board (LLB) for criminal abuse of office after they allegedly awarded themselves council tenders in breach of the law is a tip of the iceberg.
The corruption in Lupane town and council dates back many years involving land acquisition and tenders. I therefore urge the Government to institute a forensic audit dating back to the early 1990s.
The abuse of office for self-aggrandisement is a culture that saw even messengers and drivers accumulating obscene wealth through abusing the tender process.
Companies have been set up to supply council at inflated prices and new investors are being frustrated by a lady in the Treasury department in cahoots with the corrupt officials.
The untouchable officials were even involved in the supply of cement for the construction of a new church school through dubious means.
They must find no shade to hide their shenanigans and even the dotted Mtshibi trees must not afford them a hiding place.
The Government is being blamed for lack of development when resources for the community are being diverted for personal use and inflated prices are depleting budget allocations before any meaningful work can be done.
The level of corruption in Lupane has to been seen to be believed. Even investors must tread carefully as the environment is a landmine of corruption.
The Government’s crusade against corruption must be firm and unyielding.
The perpetrators of corruption will not give up easily. All they have are proceeds of crime.
They loot resources. They turn public projects into some enrichment schemes.
They have no conscience. Therefore the Government under the new Dispensation must repossess all the corruptly accumulated wealth and the land audit will reveal shocking details of abuse of office in Lupane.
It is also high time that special courts to deal with white collar crime are instituted.
The current prosecutors fall short and our courts have failed the society by releasing criminals on the basis of lack of evidence.
By its nature white collar crime is a web of deceit and collusive behaviour and requires special skills to detect.
For example even the mandatory tendering process is being wickedly manipulated to achieve results including fake tenders, insider information and a host of ills.
Only a forensic audit will help recover millions looted from the Lupane coffers through a network of criminals masquerading as professionals.
S Dube
Online Reporter