Judiciary holds the line

We have got used to the ANC’s gradual demise. Freedom movements come to power through popular vote, take that vote for granted and then pay the price by being voted out. This is what will happen in 2019.

There has been massive power abuse, corruption and abuse of state institutions to fight political battles, compounded by the capturing of the state and open fights between ministers and members of the governing party in portfolio committees and in their “funny press conferences”.

Funerals and memorial services are used to launch attacks on political opponents.

The three institutions of state that matter most in a constitutional democracy are the Treasury, the central bank and the judiciary. With the latest attack by the public protector on the Reserve Bank, we are seeing the second of the three being targeted — the Treasury has for all practical purposes already been captured, with both the new finance minister and his deputy exhibiting serious integrity issues.

The Treasury and the central bank are two critically important institutions for economic growth. In the absence of a capable state and with recession, credit junk status and political instability in the governing party, investors are looking elsewhere to invest their money on behalf their shareholders.

The South African state has finally collapsed, with the exception of the judiciary and Constitutional Court as the last bastions of good governance.

Dr Ivan Meyer

Western Cape MEC for finance and DA deputy federal chairman