South African Corruption

 

I watched this video a while ago but kept forgetting to write about. It carefully lists problems South Africa faces today but fails to identify the reasons. It shies away from directly blaming the end of apartheid for the current economic decline, but hits to it.

While that is partly true, there is more to it than just that. There is one other issue that creator of this video has overlooked and that is Putinist style corruption. 

Some might say that that is too far-fetched as Russia is too far away from South Africa, how could Russian corrupt practices have permeated South African government? Both South Africa and Russia are members of BRICS but is that enough by itself? Most likely not.

However South African membership in BRICS is only a symptom. Relationship between South African ruling ANC and then USSR goes far back to the Apartheid Era. 

Russia and USSR were too late to get a slice of Africa during the 19th century Scramble for Africa. However, universalism and globalism of USSR's communist ideology uniquely allowed USSR to instead participate in neo colonialism. 

USSR could cunningly disguise its neo colonial interests under guise of worker's struggle for social justice and socialism. Back in 1960s and 70s, when major European powers begun to decolonize, USSR stepped in by sponsoring multiple African Socialist or Communist parties and insurgents. 

ZANU in Rhodesia, Frelimo in Mozambique, MPLA in Angola, Derg regime in Ethiopia were all sponsored and secretly controlled by USSR. USSR trained and equipped these and other insurgent militaries. Provided financial and political support as well. South African ANC was not officially communist, but it also benefitted from USSR's involvement.

However, USSR does not do anything simply out of kindness of heart. USSR planned to establish communist regimes in all these countries. To that end it made sure that people its support would be pliant and controllable by Kremlin when they take power. Similar to how Eastern Bloc nations are.

USSR clearly succeeded in Angola, Mozambique and Ethiopia. Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe is nor officially seen as communist but in reality, was more communist that what most people realized. 

South African ANC also had communist tendencies. If they would have managed to seize power before USSR collapse, South Africa would have gradually turned communist.

However, they only took power after the USSR collapse and that prevented the grand reveal of puppeteers behind ANC. Instead at first ANC simply governed normally, however once Putin asserted himself in Russia, Russian secret police started to exploit various regimes they help bring into power before USSR collapse. Instead turning these countries communist, they propitiated Russian style systemic corruption into them.

This systemic corruption allows both top brass within ANC as well as Russian secret police to syphon money from South Africa for their own personal benefit. The money end up in secret bank accounts, like those mentioned in Panama Papers. 

ANC leaders are likely partial beneficiaries themselves, that way they would have vested interests in keeping the fraud going and cover up any leeks. Russian secret police and lawyers provide information on how to mislead audit and various transparency and reporting requirements to avoid getting caught. In exchange they take share of the wealth that ANC lead government takes out of the economy and national treasury.

This several decades fraud left country dilapidated and impoverished. Disillusioned citizens stopped trusting government and either emigrate or hire private companies to provide services that used to be provided by government in the past. South Africa is the only country in the world with decreasing GDP. Its slowly devolving into a failed state.

Unless corrupt officials are stopped and brought to justice, South Africa will become second Somalia.