Will former president Jacob Zuma ever see the inside of a courtroom after his corruption trial along with French arms dealer Thales was postponed yet again in the Pietermaritzburg High Court last week?
It’s a question Adriaan Basson has tackled and the News24 editor writes it’s not only Zuma’s fault that the corruption trial has dragged on for this long without actually ever beginning.
Basson details all the wrong moves made by the National Prosecuting Authority over the years that have allowed Zuma to go this long without facing a trial while he also asks the reasonable question as to how it is Zuma can continuously use the SA justice system to his advantage?
“I’m not a lawyer but find it incredibly disturbing that our legal system is allowing a well-funded accused person such incredible leeway to appeal every single matter of dispute before a criminal trial has even begun.”
Read Basson’s full column here.
Meanwhile, Tom Eaton argues that “sustainable corruption” might yet be South Africa’s saviour after finance minister Enoch Godongwana admitted on Sunday that he does not trust civil servants working for the government not to steal relief funds aimed at the victims and mop-up operations of the flooding in Durban.
Eaton writes perhaps comedically that corrupt officials should take a percentage off the top of any funding and then do their jobs instead of jumping in headfirst for the entire pot of gold.
“For some years I’ve been arguing that what we need in SA is sustainable corruption, whereby officials take moderate kickbacks — a sensible 10%, say — and then do their job, rather than flinging themselves face-first into the trough and then falling asleep once their tummies are full.”
Here’s a round-up of opinions, editorials, and in-depth articles we’re reading:
KZN floods: It won’t be a surprise if govt relief funds end up in corrupt pockets – Ralph Mathekga, News24 (for subscribers)
Climate change is killing South Africans because our politicians don’t care – Songezo Zibi, Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
KZN flood tragedy exposes dysfunctional province in midst of governance crisis – Cyril Madla, Daily Maverick
May R499m Covid hospital be a lesson for KZN donations – Sydney Majoko, The Citizen (for subscribers)
To support Russia is to be on the wrong side of history and morality – Liubov Abravitova, Daily Maverick
The role of capitalism in the war in Ukraine – Richard Wolff, Mail & Guardian
