Suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu reportedly insisted Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi should have addressed his concerns with him before he made the public statements that led to the minister being put on special leave. This, as we have witnessed in the past, is the modus operandi of the ANC comrades.
Time and again we learn of political figures in hot water, yet when it is time to face the music, most seem to just slip through the cracks faster than water disappearing in the desert sand. Political figures would tip each other off, toe the party line in protecting friends and colleagues, to the detriment of South Africa. Who is to say, why the minister would have insisted that Mkhwanazi first address these issues with him in private, whereas according to the esteemed general, the minister is at the centre of the problems in SAPS and crime intelligence specifically.
As we have seen with Phala-Phala and other dubious activities at the highest levels, this would have been talked through in private and swept under the rug, leaving the minister and all others embroiled in the Mkhwanazi matter free to continue business as usual. Thankfully that was not the case this time around, because Mkhwanazi is dedicated to his job and loyal to South Africans and not “the party”. For too long we have suffered the curse of holy cows in politics and government generally.
Judge Raymond Zondo also lamented having to swear in politicians who had been implicated as having direct or indirect corrupt activity as per the Zondo commission. What is surprising is that the judge chose business as usual at the time and did not call out President Cyril Ramaphosa when it mattered. Only now does the judge feel it necessary to take the country into his confidence and speak out about something about which we have all been wondering.
But what could judge Zondo have done? What action could he have taken to prevent politicians from pushing friends into positions of leadership even though they are alleged to have been involved in fraudulent activity? Does the constitution or any law allow for the judge to refuse or appeal the appointment of dubious characters to lead in public service?
Without a formal route to protest such appointments, especially as it would be seen as flouting the separation of powers and privileges between the judiciary and the executive, it would seem like we are stuck with holy cows haunting us indefinitely or until we change the constitution to prevent such. While it remains disappointing that Zondo’s courage came so late and that law enforcement agencies including the NPA have completely fumbled the state capture matter, we are grateful for mercies great and small and that Zondo finally spoke out.
Let us encourage more and more patriotic, truth-loving South Africans to come out in numbers and wage war against corruption and crime
What South Africa has learnt, however, is that when justice is not served in truth and on time, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of citizens. They start losing trust in those who hold public office and in the judiciary to deliver justice against the rich and powerful. Zondo's fear to speak out when it was relevant and necessary not only adds fuel to the fire of distrust but also reeks of going with the flow and doing nothing to stop the rot. Some might say tacit complicity, whether by choice or by feigning ignorance.
This era demands accountability and for real leaders to stand up and be counted. Perhaps we should not chastise the retired judge and simply be grateful and appreciate that he has finally found his voice and is using it to try to cleanse South Africa of its corrupt leadership.
At this point the sentiment is all hands on deck and the sides are clear. It's good vs evil, the good guys vs the bad guys, and nobody wants to be on the wrong side of history.
The mood in the communities and the republic in general is urgency to uncover and clear out decay within government and all its institutions. Let us encourage more and more patriotic, truth-loving South Africans to come out in numbers and wage war against corruption and crime. The community must rally behind those who want to do good and decisively root out criminal elements even in our own neighbourhoods.
Maybe, just maybe, we can win the war against crime and corruption, but it will take all of us to be part of the movement.
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