Mail & Guardian

Free-rein special for our friends

- JS Smit

Dear Sir or Madam, welcome to the fair state of South Africa. We received your diploma and I am pleased to inform you that you qualify for premium diplomatic immunity, including full protection from prosecutio­n for assault with a home appliance!

We are very happy to have you in the country and would also like to extend complete immunity from prosecutio­n by the Internatio­nal Criminal Court, thrown in to make your stay extra-special. This is an offer you won’t find anywhere else and comes standard with all the bells and whistles of a free trip home and classy accommodat­ion at one of our leading hotels at no extra charge.

But wait, there’s more!

If you play your cards right (or not, it doesn’t really matter) you will get to land your plane at one of our airforce bases, appoint Cabinet ministers and loot the treasury. That’s right! Full state capture for the low, low price of nothing.

As a preferred citizen, you will also enjoy immunity from run-down public restrooms, television reruns, flying next to babies and slow internet. Say goodbye to equality. Say hello to state-sponsored superiorit­y!

Regrettabl­y — and there’s not much we can do about this — not included in your premium package is immunity from irresponsi­ble members of the public who will hurl childish insults at your blue-light brigade as it makes its way through town.

We share this informatio­n in the spirit of full disclosure and would like to warn that you will have to contend with middle fingers, loud hooting and a choice selection of swear words. As standard procedure, we urge all dignitarie­s to apply quiet diplomacy and just face forwards.

In the pouch in front of you, you will find headphones through which you can listen to South Africa’s rich history of corruption during this time. Tune in for classics such as How to Win Fifa Bids and Influence Officials, and Senseless Government Spending: A Travel Diary.

Please enjoy your time with us while you make use of this once-in-alifetime offer.

Kulungile, Welkom, Wamkilikil­e, Welcome.

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