Who are we to judge Jacob Zuma?
THE letter in Thursday’s paper, on July 1, “We look forward to seeing Zuma in orange overalls”, is a classic example of modern-day “first-stonecasters” – egging everyone else on to join them in condemning someone and, eventually, stoning him to death.
Shouldn’t one think carefully and deeply through one’s argument and standpoint, about something as vexatious as this, before rushing off to pen it down?
When Christ was crucified after the frivolous charges brought against him, that also divided people at the time: those who shouted at the top of their voices: “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
But there was also a small group, full of fear of those carrying the sword at the time, silently standing by to plead for his life, and his mother weeping as she watched her son die.
When people are to be executed in the great US, folks will gather on both sides, in front of their notorious penitentiaries: on one side will be those baying for blood, shouting for the person inside to be killed quickly.
On the other side, one will find a group silently showing their disdain for what is happening inside. The writer is, like so many others, clearly clenching his proverbial “first rock”, ready to land that deadly blow. Did he join the “he must rot in jail” choir?
In the dark days of our Struggle against an evil system that slaughtered so many people, one would find Black Sash women of strength protesting silently against such atrocities.
Very few, if any, of those brutal killers of Imam Haroun, Steve Biko, Ahmed Timol, David Webster, Anton Lubowski, Ashley Kriel, Anton Fransch, Christopher Truter, the Cradock Four, and many, many others, were ever brought to book. And here we want to see an old man behind bars, who did not even kill anyone? What kind of justice is that, if it is justice at all?
When our great icon Madiba himself was charged with something so insignificant, by those who wanted to belittle him, he, just like Christ did, bravely showed us the way to uphold the rule of law, by going to court to defend himself.
Our country is facing a watershed, volatile time in our short democratic dispensation. This thing must be handled with the utmost restraint and clear thinking, so as to avoid us sinking ever deeper into the abyss, an unprecedented civil war from which we will never recover.
Very few people in history, when caught out, convicted by their conscience, displayed the courage to stand up in public to atone for their wrongdoing.
We can recall two examples: Adriaan Vlok, who was Law and Order Minister, later washed the feet of Rev Frank Chikane, one of the heroes his henchmen sought to kill.
The second one is the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart who, when caught out in the company of prostitutes, went public and – in tears – confessed his wrongdoing.
In the Book of Wisdom, in Matthew 7, verse one, our Great Teacher warns never to judge others, lest we be judged ourselves. Don’t we also echo and sing this teaching in our eternal prayer called “The Lord’s Prayer”? Never shall we rejoice in the misfortune of others.
Even if this 79-year-old does not fall on his knees and plead for forgiveness for his many wrongs, who are we to judge him? His legacy will one day speak loudly. Aren’t all of us destined to be judged one day? “Et tu? Mark?”
KOERT MEYER | Welgelegen