#SecretBallot advocate lost the plot

DESPITE advocate Ishmael Semenya SC’s confident start in the Concourt’s #SecretBallot deliberations, he faltered, lost his confidence and ended up sweating and sputtering like an unfaithful husband caught in the act.

Devoid of any logical reasoning, he desperately offered his personal opinion on the matter and abandoned all hope of convincing the justices he had a solid case.

To paraphrase his lengthy waffling, he basically said he couldn’t understand the risk of having an open ballot.

Seriously? In this highly politicised country where, according to the Institute of Security Studies, an estimated 14 000 people were killed in politically-motivated killings over a five-year period, that point of view seems quite naive.

Never before have the political stakes been so high, seeing that all ministers and their deputies would have to resign, along with Jacob Zuma.

To think that ANC MPs are able to vote with their consciences without fear of reprisals is as delusional as expecting Zuma to become a priest.

After watching the debacle on TV, I feel confident that the reserved judgment, when delivered, will rule in favour of a #SecretBallot.

If not, my faith in the last remaining branch of government which is able to stand up to Zuma and his forces of evil will have been badly eroded. CONRAD SMIT

Durban