JOIN THE PEOPLE’S MARCH AGAINST CORRUPTION – 30 SEPTEMBER 2015
UPDATE: The revised date of 23 September has been changed again, to 30 September. This is because the 23rd clashes with the two important religious festivals of Eid-al-Adha and Yom Kippur. The thousands of Muslim and Jewish people who have pledged their support for the march, would otherwise not be able to attend.
See the press release for more information.
Corruption is not an isolated issue. It is present in every aspect of our society, in academia, business, civil society, government, public services, trade unions and faith-based organisations, to the extent that it has become part of the status quo. Yet everywhere it occurs, rampant corruption eats away at our hopes and aspirations, and threatens our fragile democracy. And as is so often the case, it is the poorest and most vulnerable who suffer the most, at the hands of those with the most power and resources.
It is this culture of greed and impunity that makes corruption so difficult to tackle. If corruption is not stopped, it will turn South Africa into a failed state, and rob us of our future. It will turn our collective dream of a better life for all into a living nightmare.
In the face of mounting scandals such as Nkandla, and the contempt shown by those in positions of power to repeated findings of corruption, it is time to take action to win back the power for ordinary people living in South Africa, by demanding accountability from our leaders, and an end to abuse of power.
We believe that corruption is our problem, and the onus is on every honest person in South Africa to tackle it. It is an assault on our Constitution’s promise of equality and dignity.
Tens of thousands of voices on our streets on 30 September, in Cape Town and Pretoria, will send a clear message that the majority of people in this country will no longer tolerate the culture of corruption that is embedding itself in our nation.
We’ve Had Enough! Stop Corruption! Save Our Country!
Let us #UniteAgainstCorruption!
The following events form the beginnings of the UNITE AGAINST CORRUPTION campaign:
- 7 August 2015, Cape Town: Join our picket of the National Assembly in Cape Town during parliamentary debate on the Nhleko report, which found that President Zuma does not need to pay back any money for Nkandla upgrades despite the findings of the Public Protector.
- 7 August 2015, Johannesburg: We will surround the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg with a human chain to symbolise our intention to protect the Constitution and Chapter 9 institutions, particularly the Public Protector.
- 30 September, Everywhere: Join a planned action on this day, or organise your own:
- Pretoria (11:00): The People’s March Against Corruption will start from multiple locations to converge on the Union Buildings. Details to follow on social media and subsequent press releases.
- Cape Town (11:00): A mass march to Parliament will take place in solidarity with the main march in Pretoria. Details to follow on social media and subsequent press releases.
- Other cities and towns: Wherever you are, start now to organise a march or demonstration. You know who is corrupt in your school, community or workplace! Organise against it and let us know about it (see details below).