Graft scourge widespread

If outgoing US President Joe Biden's about-face in granting a pardon to his son Hunter, who was convicted on gun and tax charges, is anything to go by, the scourge of corruption knows no bounds.

- Brian Sokutu

The insidious global scourge - continuing to infiltrate every level of society, degrading public trust, negatively affecting economic development and societal progress - came under discussion in South Africa this week, as we marked International Anti-Corruption Day.

We merely confine corruption to the illegal awarding of tenders to preferred entities, but the matter is much wider and embedded in society - requiring much broader intervention.

Listening to an inspiring speech by Public Service Commission chair Somadoda Fikeni, which took delegates at the anti-corruption dialogue by surprise and left them nodding, I got to realise how endemic corruption is in society.

Instead of pointing fingers at the usual suspects, Fikeni challenged delegates at the conference to turn the mirror to themselves.