Narrator: The next day Keitumetse is back in Letsholo’s office with her tender documents.

Letsholo: Great to see you again, Keitumetse.

Keitumetse: So, I want to know how this works.

Letsholo: Just give me the tender. I’ll sort it out. After you start working, I’ll expect three payments of R100 000. We’ll talk then about how you’ll pay me. Don’t worry your pretty head about it now. Everything will be fine. I’ll take a care of you.

Keitumetse: And what if we get caught?

Letsholo: (Laughing) We won’t. I can assure you, it’s impossible.

Narrator: Keitumetse hands him her tender documents.

Letsholo: So we have a deal?

Keitumetse: Yes.

Letsholo: Good. I look forward to working with you, Keitumetse. I knew a beautiful, intelligent woman like you didn’t just come into my life for nothing.

Narrator: Keitumetse stands up and leaves without saying anything else. She feels sick and needs to get away from Letsholo. She wonders what she has got herself into; she’s sure it is not going to turn out well.

*****

Tell us: Do you agree with Lesego that paying some money to the person who awards the tender is, “the price of doing business with these big companies and with government. Everyone knows that.” Why should ordinary people like us even care if this happens?

What impact do you think this practice has on our culture and society in general? Are we as individuals equally guilty if we pay the money?