Unguided missile from Busi — sober advice from judge

Accused last week of sitting on reports implicating the Gupta family, public protector Busi Mkhwebane sprang into action, firing an unguided missile into the heart of our economic structure.

Amid scandal, state capture and junk status, what better way to pile on the pain than with an uninformed and reckless assault on the Reserve Bank? Even Guptafriendly finance minister, Malusi Gigaba, in London trying to “reassure investors”, was shocked. He warned “whatever decision we arrive at must not undermine the independence” of the bank. In spite of her office rowing back to explain hers was just a suggestion, the damage had been done. Back to London for Gigaba for more “reassuring”?

Not for the first time, it was left to one of the few unsullied figures in our public life to season our daily diet of unsettling news with some common sense. Enter Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and his band of merry judges with another groundbreaking ruling.

The justices tore to shreds Speaker Baleka Mbete’s helpless plea that she was not allowed to permit a secret ballot in a noconfidence vote on President Jacob Zuma. The judges said: “Nowhere does the supreme law provide for them to swear allegiance to their political parties”. So, get to it MPs!