Energy minister Gwede Mantashe is thoroughly caught up with Bosasa in the latest release from the Zondo commission reports. Part three released last week, detailed how the ANC chairperson received R300 000 worth of security upgrades at his home from the company that had close ties to the ANC.
Mantashe maintains he has done nothing wrong, but it’s difficult not to put two and two together when reading the overwhelming evidence against Bosasa that the Zondo commission has presented.
Whether Mantashe knew who was funding the security upgrades or not, the Bosasa’s modus operandi was to grease the palms of many a politician during former president Jacob Zuma’s time in office.
And that’s the fundamental problem writes Justice Malala, Mantashe and others nailed their colours to Zuma’s mast and when the corruption and rot began to settle in, they were powerless to stop it and choose to protect the movement over the interests of the country.
“They corrupted everything. While they did so Mantashe and others kept on believing that they should “protect the movement” by not saying a word. They defended Zuma on the shameful Nkandla upgrades. They chose not to listen to people like Themba Maseko, who blew the whistle on the Guptas. At every chance to do the right thing, Mantashe and this crew chose “the movement” over SA and thus protected Zuma and his corrupt crowd.”
Malala writes that the problem with the corruption at Bosasa and the ANC was that it became all-encompassing and swallowed anyone in its path. He urges Mantashe to resign from his positions.
In the wake of South Africa’s neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Melanie Verwoerd argues that as with apartheid, if you remained neutral during that time you might as well have been supporting the racist regime.
Verwoerd writes about the different caveats that have potentially stopped SA from voicing support for Ukraine, like our BRICS country membership and our close economic and historical ties with Russia. But she believes these are not good enough reasons to remain neutral on whether Russia’s aggression should be condemned.
“I have a lot of respect for our president’s negotiation skills. He is, without a doubt, one of the best in the world. However, I have serious concerns about whether he will even get Russia’s president on the phone. Putin is clearly not in the mood to listen to President Ramaphosa – or for that matter, anyone else.”
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analyses, and editorials:
CAIPHUS KGOSANA | How can SA in clear conscience abstain in a vote against genocide? – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
WILLIAM GUMEDE | If Brics nations carry on backing Russia, the whole house may fall down – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
South Africa must take the moral high ground in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine – Daily Maverick
Q&A | Thuli Madonsela on Ukraine: ‘I’m disappointed’ in South Africa’s stance – News24 (for subscribers)
Ukraine: SA has made a costly choice – Daily Friend
Putin is betting that the west is too decadent to defend its values. He is wrong – The Guardian
South Africa faces crises on multiple fronts, threatening the democratic project and our constitutional values – Daily Maverick
