Essay-Part 1: Are gifts and campaign contributions a form of bribery?

Fabrice Tshiyoyi Banyingela

Sister Michelle Donner

Writing & Reasoning

12 May 2021

Are gifts and campaign contributions a form of bribery?

It is nowadays hard to define bribery. But in a narrow sense, it primarily involves corruption and comes in several forms. Bribery is a global phenomenon, present in practically all levels of institutions around the world. Bribery has become rampant in recent decades of our society. Several times, the government and congress have attempted to demonstrate to us that they oppose bribery and are finding ways to eliminate it from our society, but have not managed to accomplish this, which is unfortunately not uncommon throughout our history. However, this does not imply that this corruption and bribery was not fought through by the government, rather to indicate that the impact made upon the poor community was not always their top priority, and rich minds have continued to be sickened by the "disease" only know as bribery.

Since its independence in 1994, South Africa has been struggling to overcome this epidemic of the millennium. Examples like the Gupta’s family saga which revealed the depth of influence the family had on the state’s affairs, and how it was able to sway officials and key appointments to achieve their agenda, the Zondo commission of inquiry, the Tshwane prepaid meters, Prasa wasting R620 million on unsuitable locomotives, Home Affairs daylight bribery, the Bosasa Billions, are only a few of the most notable incidents in the struggle to fight economical crime. These examples represent only a small portion of the fight against any form of corruption in South Africa. Throughout its history, there are thousands of examples of corruption.

 In an effort to end this type of crime, Ulla Tornaes, Danish former Minister for Development Cooperation at the announcement in Panama of the 18th IACC to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark said this:

“Corruption in the form of bribery and misuse of public funds is a major obstacle to democracy and economic development.”

I believe the government will support Tornaes' statement and become her champion. Despite the efforts of our government to create a variety of security and judicial units such as the South African Police Services (SAPS), the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the NPA’s Anti-Corruption Task Team, the South African Special Investigating Unit (SIU), and the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the country has remained in a state of capture.

The issue

Recent scandals in politics, churches, schools, communities, and so many organizations have caused the voice of the voiceless to question our national’s policy on bribe. Are gifts and campaign contributions a form of bribery? Many people would argue that gifts and campaign contributions are absolutely a form of bribery, while some people would disagree and say that because they are gifts and contributions, that it isn’t bribery at all, but rather someone willing to donate to something they have personal belief in. Then a few group of people that falls somewhere in between the two and feel that gifts and campaign contributions are not always considered bribery but can turn into being bribes depending on the intent of the giver.

Works cited

Dayen, David. Congress Makes Corruption Too Easy. The New Republic, 8 Aug. 2018, https://newrepublic.com/article/150557/congress-makes-corruption-easy. Accessed 12 May 2021

Henning, Peter. It’s getting harder to prosecute politicians. The Conversion, 2018, https://www.salon.com/2018/02/20/it-is-getting-harder-to-prosecute-politicians-for-corruption_partner/. Accessed 12 May 2021

 

 


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