Fragile democracy
This morning the Sunday Times carried a lead story to the effect that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was about to be arrested and prosecuted for espionage, in relation to the discredited claim that a ‘rogue unit’ had been established in SARS. I and many others on social media believed the report but the Presidency denied it. At this point (Sunday evening) the Sunday Times has not said whether it stands by its story but it has also not withdrawn the claims
What is significant is that so many of us were willing to believe what may well be true, albeit delayed for now. We have come to expect cavalier treatment of legality that one can hold a key government position and them be arrested on flimsy charges the next day. That is the SA that we now live in under Zuma, a lawless state, with virtually every law enforcement agency compromised or under attack. The sooner we can find ways of restoring constitutional democracy the better for all of us.