Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Reverend Thabo Makgoba, says South Africans can draw hope from the story of Easter, while delivering his Easter message at a Vigil at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. Makgoba says whilst too many are still living in the tombs of poverty, young people can roll away the proverbial stone of corruption and inequality. He adds that the country’s politicians have not done enough to create a prosperous society.

“You would think that if they were truly focused on the well-being of their constituents, they could overcome their differences enough to collaborate in coalition governments to put an end to corruption and provide decent services to our communities. But instead they play in-again-out-again revolving doors, changing mayors and speakers the way other people change their socks.”

Economic equality

Makgoba adds that young people should take up a new struggle to end economic inequity and to realise the promises of South Africa’s constitution.

He says South Africans are experiencing a near biblical vortex of greed and corruption in which the unscrupulous steal from the poor and swallow the hope of ending inequality. He says accountability is lacking among the Country’s leadership.

“The trickle of disconnected announcements on investigations arising from the theft of money from the President’s Phala phala farm still haven’t explained satisfactorily why such large amounts of money weren’t banked, and the ANC’s refusal to allow a parliamentary inquiry is reminiscent of the cover-ups of the Zuma administration. If we are to build the nation we want, one based on transparency and honesty, the President needs to give us a single comprehensive account of what happened and why it happened.”