There has been a lot written over the past two weeks about the looting, violence, and failed insurrection following the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma and while there may well be a great deal more to write as we delve deeper into the root cause of all the mayhem there does seem to be one focal point of failure amongst the chaos.
In yesterday’s opinions newsletter we told you about the disagreements in President Ramaphosa’s cabinet but today we must ask whether the real problem during all the unrest was a massive failure from the South African intelligence community?
It’s a question some writers have started to ask as is evidenced by the opinion articles floating about in different publications today. As Ismail Lagardien points out in the Daily Maverick, most of the county’s top spies and intelligence officials were trained in techniques that may have worked when they were fighting an oppressive apartheid state, but they have little use working “in the machinery of state security and intelligence.”
While David Africa writes in the Mail & Guardian about the intelligence failure parallels between the 9/11 attacks in the United States and the recent unrest in South Africa. Africa lays out some immediate measures that could be implemented to bolster the state security apparatus.
And Tshidi Madia writes for EWN about whether South African national security is compromised due to the latest spate of infighting and factional battles within the ANC. “President Cyril Ramaphosa’s security cluster ministers have waged a tit-for-tat blame game while failing to reassure the nation of its safety amidst the uncertainty.”
Here’s a roundup of today’s most interesting opinions and analyses:
Our democracy is a criminal negotiation – Gareth van Onselen | Business Day (For subscribers)
EFF may lose legal fight to unseal CR17 records, but has public backing – Karyn Maughan | News24 (For subscribers)
What history can teach us about charting SA’s post-riot recovery – Sifiso Skenjana | Fin24 (For subscribers)
Back from the abyss – again – David Williams | Financial Mail
Rioting caused unnecessary suffering and job losses – Amos Tebeila | SowetanLIVE (For subscribers)
Platinum could be the catalyst for SA’s green revolution – Colin Wood | Business Day
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