Trevor Manuel: 'Corruption is harder to ditch than drug addiction'

"Trevor Manuel diz que abandonar o vício da corrupção é mais difícil do que deixar de ser toxico dependente."

'If you have lived of the proceeds of corruption‚ you've acquired a lifestyle that you can't afford‚ and it becomes very difficult to step off that'

A life lived on “ill-gotten” gains is harder to ditch than drug addiction‚ former finance minister Trevor Manuel said on Tuesday.

In a series of podcasts and video clips aired by Eyewitness News‚ Manuel said of the issue of state capture and corruption: “We are very‚ very low ebb now.

“There are a series of incidences now that do reflect that particular parts of government are very captured‚” he said.

“And the problem about being involved corruption‚ and so on‚ is that it’s hard to extricate yourself from.

“It may be easier if you were drug addict; once you’ve reached the point and say‚ ‘I am ready to go to rehab’…and emerge on the other side and say‚ ‘Now I am going to be clean’.”

But‚ he added‚ “if you have lived of the proceeds of corruption‚ you’ve acquired a lifestyle that you can’t normally afford‚ and it becomes very difficult to step off that…if you’ve had a stream of ill-gotten gains that has come to you in addition to your salary…

“…To call a halt to all of that voluntarily seems to incredibly difficult and much more difficult than dealing with a problem like drug addiction. Which is why you must actually have a much louder conversation in society‚ and there must be consequences. Read more (13.09.2016)