South Africa disbands anti corruption cop unit

Scotsman:

SOUTH Africa's parliament last night passed legislation to disband the Scorpions, the elite crime-busting unit modelled on America's FBI.

Among those who voted to draw the Scorpions' sting were 40 MPs of the ruling African National Congress under investigation by the Directorate of Special Operations – the Scorpions' official title – for defrauding taxpayers of some £1.5 million for falsified travel expenses.

The Scorpions, attached to the National Prosecuting Authority, have been one of the major successes of post-apartheid South Africa. Independent of the slipshod South African Police Service, into which they will now be dissolved, the Scorpions enjoyed widespread public support.

"No good reason for emasculating the Scorpions has been put forward," said Peter Bruce, editor of the influential Business Day, in his weekly column. "That's because there isn't one," he said. "The Scorpions are being killed off because they investigate too much corruption that involves ANC leaders. It is as simple and ugly as that."

The Scorpions are trying to prosecute two ANC "big men." They have attempted to bring to trial Jacob Zuma, elected leader of the ANC last December, on nearly 800 charges of fraud, corruption, racketeering and tax evasion in connection with the country's murky £5.2 billion arms deal with European weapons manufacturers.

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The Scorpions, whose top men were trained by Scotland Yard, also charged Jackie Selebi, the former national police chief and close friend of former state president Thabo Mbeki, with corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

Mr Selebi is alleged to have had a close and corrupt relationship with underworld boss Glenn Agliotti, facing charges of racketeering, money laundering, drug trafficking, mafia links and involvement in the murder of a mining magnate.

The Scorpions proved too successful for their own good. The ANC never anticipated that the crack crime-busters would take their constitutional independence absolutely seriously and investigate the top ranks of the former liberation movement itself.

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It appears that South Africa has opted for corruption. This is a huge mistake that will make south African a much poorer country. Corruption is theft from everyone in the country. It drives up the cost of goods and services and destroys the free market. The guy with the bast product at the best price no longer gets the deal. Usually more is paid for less.

It also bodes ill for the rule of law. It becomes a system where the law is a sometime thing. The people of South Africa deserve better than this.