Maravi

(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) Corruption by the black man, not white man

Corruption by the black man, not white man
By: Basil Mutoti
Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 12:00 pm

DEAR EDITOR - I read everyday with shock how black people are labelled as corrupt and incapable of running multi-national businesses. I think this is a disease that the African continent has to rid itself of. We hear about corruption allegations all over the world and many big corporations have gone down due to corruption.

The energy giant Enron went down due to corruption. Today, Iraq is being rebuilt by companies in which former US president Dick Cheney has huge interests. In Zimbabwe, I remember losing a lot of money when the Bank of Credit and Commerce (BCC) went under, due to corruption.

Anyone smart and strong enough to fight delusional thinking and who pays attention to current events should clearly see that corporate corruption of the US, UK and many other Western political systems is so pervasive and powerful that there it will take centuries to root out, if at all.

Corporate greed and corruption are more endemic in western systems that they can ever be in Africa; and the global financial crisis is a result of that greed.

Infact, there is an argument that corruption in Africa is fuelled by western interests that tend to divide these countries to make it easy to extract natural resources.

President Mugabe recently highlighted that De Beers group were mining diamonds in Chiadzwa region in Zimbabwe illegally for 15 years and taking them out of the country.

Such issues are not discussed in mainstream media; and black reporters shy away from such reports.

No-one really cares about people like the Meikles Family who benefitted from the apartheid system in Zimbabwe when blacks were segregated.

No-one questions how people like Roy Bennett made a lot of money when they were merely serving in the BSA police. Part of their history is completely obliterated; and the slave mentality makes us think they just had money to buy farms, businesses, etc.

Interestingly, Bennett recently revealed that there were diamonds at his farm in Chipinge. How long did he know that? Considering he hasn't been to that farm in yonks, he should have known a while ago.

No-one questions how people like African Consolidated Resources' Andrew Cranswick made millions in colonial Zimbabwe and on what basis they claim to own the rich Chiadzwa district; or where they got the money to buy that claim.

I will not defend corruption in whatever form; but it should never be selectively applied. To fingerpoint the likes of Philip Chiyangwa, whom we have seen rise from humble beginnings, is counterproductive.

Let's reward those who work hard and shun corruption; by blacks or whites.

The inferiority complex that the black man suffers today, makes them see corruption in blacks and everything good if done by the white man.

We have a long way to go indeed. In the meantime, we swim in our own sewage.

Labels: AFRICAN CONSOLIDATED RESOURCES PLC, ANDREW CRANSWICK, COLONIALISM, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 5:03 PM