Nation failed Meyiwa’s family

OUR criminal justice system is treading on dangerous terrain, seeking to subvert the law and abandon its constitutional responsibilities.

The case in point is that of the deliberate failure to bring to justice the killer or killers of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain, Senzo Meyiwa; and allowing AfriForum to take over the criminal case.

There’s no doubt that the police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Justice Ministry have failed the nation for not bringing the case to its finality. Despite promises after promises from politicians and authorities, five years later the Meyiwa family have still not received closure.

It’s a national shame that the Meyiwa family had to run to AfriForum to seek justice.

Despite the outpouring of support behind AfriForum seeking to pursue the case, this should have been rejected outright by the Police Minister Bheki Cele.

This should have not been allowed, not on the basis of what AfriForum stands for, but on the principle that no democratic state should set a precedent where such crucial constitutional duties are carried out by interest groups.

Any attempt to do this should be seen as the dereliction of constitutional duty. This has no place in our democracy.

Senzo’s case represents hundreds of cases of ordinary South Africans, where the state has failed to carry out its constitutional mandate to protect, investigate and prosecute.

The SAPS and the NPA have a constitutional mandate in ensuring that crime in the country is brought down and that criminals are locked behind bars.

VUYOLWETHU ZUNGULA | African Transformation Movement