Trio asleep at the wheel

SA’s ambassador to Maputo, Siphiwe Nyanda, said on state television that his government “definitely had no idea” the Islamist insurgency attack on the port town of Palma in Mozambique was coming. He just happened to be nearby at the time (yeah, right), and not at his embassy 2,000km away. His tone was highly defensive.

When a non-career diplomat puts up his own lack of knowledge as an excuse for inaction, one should pay attention. He, President Cyril Ramaphosa and intelligence minister Ayanda Dlodlo gave no advisory warning to South Africans there, let alone an evacuation order. Nor to any other Africans for that matter, who endured days of terror.

These luminaries were all literally asleep at the wheel, a mouse-click away from deep narcosis judging from a report by Africa Investment Partners in Washington three weeks before the first shots were fired on March 24. Granular details were laid out, including the timing, force numbers involved (including a seaward support attack), weaponry, tactics and operational intentions of these Islamic State killers. All came to pass in horrifying detail.

In this light, one has to ask whether these three are in touch with their own shoe laces. The government’s blanket excuse has moved beyond paper thin to abysmally inadequate, and suggests dereliction of duty at the least, more likely a studied indifference to the welfare of South Africans, which negates the rationale for their holding public office.

If, for a fraction of a nanosecond, they have reflected with regret, they should earnestly consider resigning forthwith.

Meanwhile, parliament should convene an inquiry as a priority to investigate who in government knew what, and when they knew it.

Azaad Moegemaat Via e-mail