The South African Council of Churches (SACC) in Limpopo expressed its concern this week about the fact that the province's anti-corruption forum was no longer functional and effective.

SACC provincial Rev Mautji Pataki said ongoing incidents of corruption in the province had simply confirmed that the forum had become a white elephant, despite earlier assurances that it would fulfill an important watchdog role. A recent news report in a national newspaper, entitled "Limpopo Arts Department investigated", had convinced the council that very few people were committed to fighting corruption.

Initially, it had appeared that public servants and politicians were ready to oppose fraudulent practices and to expose the perpetrators, but it has now turned out that this is not the case.

"We stand embarrassed and shamed that we have most probably misplaced our confidence in individuals and groups whose hearts are not geared to assisting our province to prosper", he said

"In this regard, we find all printed explanations by government spokespersons and officials to be bordering on an admission that people have no respect even for systems that have been put in place to support public service delivery - which is the overall mandate for those who work for our government," Pataki complained.

In the light of the recent news report and other similar disclosures, the SACC is now seriously considering withdrawing from the forum, and reverting back to its original strategies of acting "on its own and alone" - a regrettable, yet necessary, step.

The situation has, in fact, reinforced the SACC's intention to establish a Provincial School of Ethical Leadership, and it seems likely that the council will move without delay to implement the project, Pataki said.

Through this school, the council believes it could make a valuable contribution towards the training of individuals and groups to exercise a brand of leadership that could respond to the present breakdown of moral uprightness. People could then be charged with the tasks of looking after one another, and being good stewards of the resources God intended to be used to sustain the people.