READER LETTER | Shadows of the past

The new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a policy to make Africa the “Investment Partner of Choice for England”.

At face value this is good news for Africa. Africa needs more investment, not less, to grow our economies. On the other hand, Britain has been in Africa for centuries, always grabbing for itself, always master never partner. But now Johnson presents us with a contradiction and a policy dilemma: how can we be partners while at the same time Zimbabwe, a key SADC and AU member, is under British economic sanctions?

Should we trust a British partner with no respect for international agreements, as demonstrated in its unilateral violation of the 1980 Lancaster House agreement to finance land reform in Zimbabwe?

Mr. Johnson's new policy is a roll-back from the multilateralism of the African partnership to the bilateralism of the Trump administration. It means England can cement bilateral economic ties with chosen countries to weaken the multilateral African partnership. A kind of short-circuiting of African integration.

The new partnership also does not address the scourge of illicit financial outflows from African economies. Money invested in Africa quickly leaves through illicit back doors to tax havens and English banks. Former President Thabo Mbeki, in his submission to the UN, estimated illicit financial outflows from Africa in the billions. For the new investment partnership to benefit African development these loopholes need to be sealed off through international co-operation to prevent this money laundering by European corporations.

Then there is the enemy within. Our history begs us to ask if this new partnership is really an opportunity for our citizens and economy — or is it just a new opportunity for our corrupt elite to find new English predators to dance with? Our state capture inquiry is a story of our complicity in destroying our own house through corruption. Clearly there is a need to purge our ranks of a corrupt elite. There must be citizens motivated by patriotism, not greed.

 That means strengthening our institutions, thourogh background investigations, periodic auditing of personnel finances and swift dismissal and prosecution of those who flout the rules. Competence not political sing a-longs should determine appointments. We are at a stage where we are recycling the same people. There are no new ideas from outside to keep the system alive and serving the people.

 It is dying from lack of new ideas. — Wongaletu Vanda, via e-mail