Mr Jacob Zuma
Deputy President
Republic of South Africa

Dear Sir

MORAL REGENERATION SUMMIT

Thank you for inviting me to attend the Moral Regeneration Summit. I regret I will be out of town on 18 April 2002 on prior engagements and will therefore not be able to attend the Moral Regeneration Summit. However, Reverend L. Mshumpela, MPL, UDM Gauteng Leader will be represent our party.

We appreciate the endeavours by government to champion this cause. There are some who would argue whether government has the moral standing to champion this cause given this government's approach to HIV/AIDS and the Arms Deal.

What is nauseating is the allocation of resources and tenders in the Arms Deal and Black Economic Empowerment schemes, where it has been proven impossible for companies to get contracts if they are not well connected to the ANC. Similarly, it can be argued that it is immoral for the wives of prominent politicians, from the Presidency down to MECs, who bid for government contracts. Another example that the public has observed is the involvement of families of ANC leaders in the defence sector who hold public as revealed in the Arms Deal.

On the subject of the Arms Deal and morality, several Ministers have denied in the past that the Arms Deal's cost would soar; yet the Minister of Finance has confirmed in his latest budget that the cost currently stands at more than R50 billion and rising. In the face of widespread unemployment and poverty such expenditure cannot be described as anything but immoral. What worries people, is not only the amount and size of the weaponry purchased but also the amount of time and money the government has pumped into denying and covering up allegations of impropriety in the deal.

The incidence of corruption in our society must be the primary focus of any action on moral regeneration. It cannot be denied that a public and society that observes the looting done in the name of transformation by the ANC government, will itself start to argue that corruption is acceptable. It does not auger well for our society when people start to argue that the behaviour of government justifies their own corrupt behaviour. The occurrence of corruption is further encouraged given that government corruption occurs in the context of government's failure to create an environment conducive to job creation and investment.

It is fine that the pompous ceremony goes ahead. But immediately after the summit speeches - designed perhaps for self-aggrandisement and lip-service more than anything else? - Church and religious leaders must take the lead, whilst government follows. Government is supposed to lead by example; but since it does not, it should be shown the way by people who honestly practice morality. If government does not accept that reality, one would liken this summit to a story of sending a jackal to a conference dominated by jackals to represent sheep, while the subject matter is the slaughtering of sheep.

We need to seriously consider the ethics of good governance. Government cannot be above criticism, it must accept being counselled on morality, especially after its inability to deal properly with HIV/AIDS, corruption and job creation. It is morally unacceptable for government to stick stubbornly to policies that lead to the deaths of thousands of babies, and the unemployment of millions of South Africans.

Kind regards

Mr HB Holomisa, MP
UDM President

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