Every so often there comes a piece of writing that is so sobering in its execution of thought and delivery that it takes but a moment for the reality of what has been written to sink in. News24 has released an editorial eviscerating South Africa’s recent foreign policy decision to abstain from a United Nations resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.
News24 called the decision the “most shameful foreign policy act since 1994” and made clear in no uncertain terms that without stating our position as unequivocally against Russia’s aggression, we have undoubtedly chosen the side of the oppressor.
“Not once in our statement, justifying our abstention from the vote, do we criticise Russia. This has nothing to do about human rights and peace and everything to do with misplaced, corrupted loyalty to a dictator who is losing his empire, day by day,” writes the publication, before it goes on to evoke the memory of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
Turning our attention back to the Zondo Commission, the Sunday Times Daily has called for all politicians implicated in the third part of the commission’s report to “step aside” (a phrase the ANC has turned into party policy) and face the consequences of their actions.
“With Zondo’s fourth and last part of his report due only in April, law enforcement agencies now need to step up and act on the commission’s recommendations with speed but without fear or favour,” writes the online newspaper.
But getting politicians to move along and face the music may be tricky as we have come to expect as so often concerns corruption cases in SA.
Two of the high-profile names implicated in the latest report, ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe and former cabinet minister Nomvula Mokonyane will put up a fight against the allegations.
Mantashe argued that the findings of the commission were hearsay and that he would take part three of the report under judicial review. But as Ferial Haffajee argues in her column, the “ANC’s step-aside rule says that when a member is charged with corruption, they must move aside from their positions until they are cleared.”
If Mantashe is going to make the argument that the evidence presented in the latest report is, indeed, “hearsay”, and that he should be formally charged with corruption first, he’ll be making a rather thin argument and taking a literal rather principled reading of the ANC’s internal policies on corruption cases.
As Haffajee points out, “A judicial commission of inquiry is a legal process that tests every bit of testimony and evidence before it. Its findings, therefore, are not hearsay as Mantashe argued at a media conference on Wednesday.”
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analyses, and editorials:
EDITORIAL: Zondo’s clunky reports are an insult to citizens – Business Day
Gwede Mantashe’s challenge to Zondo will further damage the ANC and its standing – Daily Maverick
TOM EATON | SA, where it’s fine to call out a foe’s aggression, but defend that of a friend – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
ROB ROSE: Extra R8.7bn for police will fix nothing – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
EDITORIAL: Mark of shame for JSE as PSG bows out – Financial Mail
Karyn Maughan | A president for sale: How Zondo’s findings about Zuma echo NPA’s corruption case – News24 (for subscribers)
Toppling Mbeki caused divisions in the ANC that are still felt today – Mail & Guardian
