Rot in government needs to end Cronin tells #CosatuMarch marchers

Former SACP Deputy General-Secretary Jeremy Cronin has called for action against state capture saying billions of rands were stolen every year.

Cronin, who is also the Deputy Minister of Public Works, told an estimated 2 500 Cosatu members outside Parliament during the march against state capture that the rot in government must come to an end.

Cronin was the only deputy minister and ANC MP who joined the protest in Cape Town today.

This is despite calls from Cosatu for Cabinet members to join the marches across the country.

The marchers were united in their support for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and said they want him to take over in December.

Cronin said fighting state capture was important for the country.

“Here in government, because I am part of government, we think R27 billion is taken out of the country every year and that represents 76 000 jobs,” he said of state capture.

“We think the private sector takes R170bn out of the country every year,” he said.

He said the looting at State-Owned Entities has led to billions of rands being lost.

Despite this, Cronin said some battles had been won in the war on state capture.

The deputy minister said the banks have closed the accounts of the Guptas.

The Bank of Baroda will be the last bank to close its accounts with the Guptas at the end of the month.

Auditing firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo also cut ties with the Guptas this week after auditing their books for 18 months.

Cronin also called for the commission of inquiry into state capture and said President Jacob Zuma must do what the Public Protector has directed him to do in the report.

This is to allow Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to appoint a judge who will head the inquiry.

Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich warned that despite their support for Ramaphosa in December, this was not a blank cheque.

“This is a message to Parliament. Even though we support Cyril Ramaphosa we are not giving anyone a blank cheque. In the past we trusted the leadership of the ANC but because of Jacob Zuma, the Guptas and others we don’t,” said Ehrenreich.

Cosatu national Treasurer Freda Oostehuysen also called for Zuma to go.

She said they fully endorse Ramaphosa to take over in December.

She said ANC members must swell its structures and branches.

Oostehuysen said they were not concerned about saving Zuma, but the ANC.

ANC acting provincial chairperson in the Western Cape Khaya Magaxa also told Cosatu members that state capture undermined the authority of the state.

He said the ANC in the province supported the strike by the trade union federation.