1.
What would you say to those who believe Africa lacks expertise in responding to
pandemics?
I would personally agree that Africa does lack expertise, infrastructure, and
resources to deal with infectious diseases and pandemics. Africa also lacks the
expertise and mechanisms needed to execute due diligence when aid is procured
from foreign countries aimed at assisting African countries that are in desperate
need of aid during the crisis of a vicious pandemic. Corruption is at the centre of
things, as it is the main reason that Africa is struggling in its efforts to prepare itself to
deal with such pandemics. When COVID-19 hit African shores, many African
countries were nowhere ready to combat it or even had the tools and resources in
place to deal with the crisis except for losing ports and borders. Countries like South
Sudan at the time had no ICU capacity, while Zimbabwe had the capacity but only in
referral hospitals and not in infectious disease hospitals. Sierra Leone had absolutely
no ventilation facilities, and most African countries to date still go without. In closing,
Africa is faced with a lot of challenges that range from civil wars, famine, climate
migrations, corruption, inequalities, etc., and in so saying, Africa first has to
overcome those issues before they can actually say Africa is indeed ready.
2. What is the importance of conducting due diligence?
The definition of due diligence is "having a measure of prudence" or "performing a
prudent review." Due diligence is essentially an investigation to determine any legal
hazards. The keeping of accurate records, checks, and balances for each company
relationship or transaction also enables a more efficient operation. It also enables a
proper understanding of the marketplaces in which an entity chooses to conduct
business as well as a company's operating requirements in terms of potential
hazards. In other instances, due diligence can be a deciding factor in criminal cases
where, if an investigating officer and the national prosecuting agency don’t perform
proper due diligence, innocent people may have to face imprisonment or worse just
because corners were cut, insufficient investigations were conducted, and the
gathering, examining, and securing of vital evidence wasn’t properly initiated.
Although it doesn't serve as a remedy or solution, performing the appropriate due
diligence goes a long way toward maintaining the smooth operation of organizations
and preventing needless disputes and red tape. It also enables the mitigation of
major potential risks. Last but not least, never believe that asking about open
litigation is sufficient. In-depth due diligence procedures frequently identify lawsuit
exposure that the owners of the selling company were not even aware of.
Unresolved litigation that is discovered late in the due diligence process is not only
more expensive and harder to handle, but it can also delay and even endanger
acquisitions.
3. What do you think should happen to companies and individuals found guilty of
covid-19 corruption?
Individuals and businesses found guilty of COVID-19 corruption should face
appropriate legal sanctions in general. Fines, jail, asset seizure, and loss of license
or job are all possibilities. The harshness of the punishment should correspond to the
gravity of the corruption and its impact on public health and safety. Furthermore,
steps should be taken to prevent future corruption and improve transparency and
accountability in the management of public health issues. Individuals found to have
been involved directly and indirectly, as well as those found guilty of allegations of
this nature, should not be provided with parole options or bail. Fines imposed on
them should also be equivalent to the amount squandered, which can be recovered
from their banks through the resale of their assets. Companies, on the other hand,
should be fined and denied their licenses to operate in the country. Corruption
crimes in this context should be approached from a constitutional and legal
perspective. Given the nature of the timing of these crimes, it makes me personally
angry, as I feel that the perpetrators are not only selfish and greedy but are also anti-
patriotic because they don’t mind putting the lives and wellbeing of their fellow
countrymen at risk and also threaten their livelihoods’. Therefore, I would personally
give each individual involved a very harsh sentence, one that is equivalent to that of
a person found guilty of treason.
REFFERENCES
To defeat the coronavirus, stop corruption, corruption watch, 14 April 2020
https://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/to-defeat-the-coronavirus-stop-corruption/
20200414. Accessed: 10/May/2023
Case study: lack of due diligence at the heart of covid-19 corruption, Amabungane,
11 October 2020
https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/case-study-lack-of-due-
deligence-at-the -heart-of-covid-19-corruption-20201009. Accessed: 10/May/2023
PPE corruption culprits will be punished, says cabinet, 27 August 2020
https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/ppe-corruption-culprits-will-be-punished-
says-cabinet/20200827. Accessed: 10 may 2023
