Brave citizens who leaked e-mails deserve an award

If I were president of the country, I would urgently convene special national order awards.

I would give out just one award – a bravery award. The ceremony would be extraordinary because of the outstanding work done by the person or people honoured.

These special awards would be for those who leaked the Gupta emails to the media.

The e-mails – revealing the conversations by the Gupta family, their associates and other influential people in politics – have laid bare the corruption in government.

Given the horrific picture about the state of the country the leaked e-mails reveal, their leaking is the most patriotic act performed by citizens in recent times.

The communication in the emails is clearly about looting and enriching those who dance to the Guptas’ tune. The media houses must be commended for the dignity and precision with which they performed the difficult task of telling this story, according to what the e-mails reveal. The reality of the Gupta family being de facto rulers of this country, as this expose indicates, is sickening to the core.

Even worse, is the evidence how President Zuma has willingly participated in helping the Gupta family run the country in exchange for a comfortable life.

The public protector’s state capture report, as well as the emails, show that Zuma is the “stuurboy” (runner) of the Guptas.

However, in the governing ANC, Zuma’s power is hanging by a thread. Had it not been for his supporters in the national executive committee (NEC) two weeks ago, he would have lost a vote of no confidence and been forced to step down.

But there is flicker of hope for rule of law here in SA. Here is how Zuma is weakening.

Last week, the inter-ministerial committee took a decision that another Gupta associate Brian Molefe be removed as CEO of Eskom. On another front, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has ensured that Berning Ntlemeza is out in the cold as head of the Hawks.

Ntlemeza had expected Zuma to protect him, but Mbalula put his foot down and Ntlemeza is now appealing at the Supreme Court in Bloemfontein to get his job back.

Anothe r act is the surprise removal of acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.

The move will probably give the Independent Police Investigative Directorate space to investigate all wrongdoing in SAPS.

The new SABC board is also disciplining former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who all along was said to enjoy Zuma’s protection.

The ANC in Northern Cape has also forced premier Sylvia Lucas to reverse her cabinet reshuffle, despite having Zuma’s blessing since she is a supporter of his ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is running for the presidency of the ANC.

Zuma’s own comrades are starting to make moves against him, as seen with the Cosatu leadership.

The ANC has now requested government to urgently establish the veracity of the e-mails’ claims and to also get explanations from those implicated. Clearly, the wheels are coming off.

‘ ‘ Zuma’s own comrades are making moves against him