Selby Moyo
By Selby Vusumzi Moyo
Where lies and unfairness rule, law becomes an obstacle to justice.
In this territory, law stands in the way of justice; making the road to good governance very rough for the public.
This is what we have witnessed in the ten or so minutes of the speech delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday evening.
Ramaphosa didn’t seem to take the seriousness of the issue at hand into consideration.
Seemingly, he felt he was supposed to say something for the sake of saying it because really, he said nothing that could win people’s confidence; leaving everybody asking questions as to whether there was leadership at all in this territory, for that was a moment he could have made it opportune to redeem the stigma attached upon him; namely that he is a “spineless president.”
What is a commission of inquiry going to investigate when Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has already revealed allegations against those implicated in corruption in the SAPS last Sunday?
Surely Mkhwanazi must be having enough evidence to make a tight case against everyone he mentioned in his expose.
And apparently Mkhwanazi could have revealed more than he has disclosed otherwise he wouldn’t have been brave enough to stand in front of people to tell them what he revealed last Sunday.
And if he is merely contriving all these allegations, then he would not be receiving death threats as reported.
Here is a man who does his work according to the dictates of his calling and those of the Constitution, but the very Constitution gets twisted before our eyes to favour culprits.
It is clear that the president of the country has the power to specific things, including slowing down due process, whereby the public is robbed of its rights to safe and comfortable lives.
It cannot be that the public could be wrong and the president is put at a level of infallibility.
Such a situation is no longer a democracy but a dictatorship, even where “the best Constitution” is attached.
A constitution that makes a president a smooth, subtle dictator in the name of democracy is hard to be trusted to produce justice!
How is it possible all that all people in government who are implicated in corruption and high- stake crimes never see their day in court and ways and means are made for them not to be arrested?
So this time around there must be another inquiry which will take a long time and most probably be followed by inaction?
What is happening to the Zondo State Capture report? Is silence not implying the law is protecting those in high places and their connections or corruptors?
Well, this proves (time after time) that when it comes to this “privileged group,” the proverbial lady justice is not blind but squints her eyes and chooses not to hear the voices of the aggrieved citizens.
If this is a matter of law, then citizens must be allowed to have a say.
At what point will democracy be seen to be “by the people and for the people” if all decision-making powers are vested in the president for the comfort of a few?
If anything, last night’s speech by Ramaphosa entailed telling the public that the law, as entrenched in the Constitution, is forever biased in favour of the powerful and to hell with the rest of us!
What about a man who gets dismissed for taking an unlawful trip, yet the one who is involved in matters threatening state security, as emphasised by the president, is accorded “special leave” with full pay.
What is even more striking is that this person who puts this territory at risk thanks the president for having put him on leave immediately after the president’s pronouncement.
What should stop us from concluding that the verdict of the inquiry will come out as “not guilty” in his favour?
We cannot help but assume that the implicated Minister knew what was cooking even before Sunday evening’s speech.
Something along these sentiments was apparently said to him by the Ramaphosa: “Okay, relax. Don’t let it bother you. I got your back!
If I believed in the myth of the number 13, which was the date on Sunday, I would have chosen not to listen to the pathetic speech.
I could have saved myself the shock that I got from the speech.
But who would I be kidding? This is “Mzanzi for sure”…
It leaves you numbed.