The African National Congress (ANC) continues to jeopardise Parliament's integrity and dent its image by being gutless in dealing with its own miscreants.

The nation may come to mistrust this institution given the dithering over uncomplicated cases of corruption and fraud by ANC members. It is time the ANC majority in Parliament realised the liberation struggle was not just about replacing white greed with demographically representative greed.

It was about legitimate government, redistributing resources more equitably and respect for the people and their democratically elected institutions. While criminal justice seems to be slowly improving its capacity for dealing with well-connected and moneyed criminals, the ANC in Parliament continues to condone corruption with a soft and lenient approach on its delinquents.

This body failed to act firmly against the likes of Tony Yengeni. It is failing to enforce discipline so its members and the executive can live up to ethical standards and norms.

Yengeni is officially, leaving Parliament's reputation in tatters in his wake . Sadly, no ANC MP or senior ANC government official needs to fear accounting to parliamentary committees or feel obliged not to tell a lie and mislead our nation.

We will not be surprised if the ANC brushes Jacob Zuma's corruption allegations under the carpet. The ruling party, which normally jumps to the defence of its cadres when they come under scrutiny has been silent on allegations against one of its most influential leaders and a man who is only a heartbeat away from the state president.

Zuma should come forth and restore integrity to the office he occupies. Hiding behind the legalistic argument that he will give detailed answers only once the matter gets to court does nothing to neutralise the pungent smell. He should act immediately to clear his name by opening his finances up to scrutiny.

Then there is the ANC's silence on the defiance of the ANC MP from KwaZulu-Natal serving on Parliament's correctional services portfolio committee. She defied the Jali commission's plea to come forward to clear her name of allegations that she secured prison jobs for her pals.

It is a question of political will. The ANC that drags its feet when its MPs are accused of corruption, acted unhesitatingly and mercilessly against Andrew Feinstein, the ANC MP who dared support proper investigation of the arms deal.

With acknowledgements to George Madikiza MP (UDM Parliamentary Whip) and the Business Day.