OPINION| Stealthy state crimes during times of disaster - ANC cadres used the Covid-19 pandemic for self-enrichment under the guise of BBBEE
By analogy, I suggest that disasters such as Covid-19 have provided a similar opportunity for government, certainly in South Africa, to perpetuate self-enrichment schemes under the guise of a false-flag operation such as BBBEE.
“Decisions [were] made to serve the patronage networks flowing through the ANC,” observes Mathekga in his book, which benefits “the interests of an elite group of party officials and business [people]”. It also points to the danger of surreptitious state crimes during times of disaster. The Special Investigating Unit found tender corruption accounted for as much as 66% of all national funding set aside for the procurement of PPE. The cost of the vaccine roll-out in South Africa was inflated by as much as 400% of procurement prices. BBBEE is clearly a race-based ideology which has led, and is leading, to significant social discohesion in the ranks of those left behind.
Understanding the allure of the state in fusing its agenda with that of Big Business is the central focus of green criminology, noted above.