Zuma and his cronies must face full might of the law
Judiciary faces its sternest test yet if Msholozi’s attempts to evade justice continue
There can be no gainsaying that the riots of July 2021 caused massive damage to the SA economy and have undermined the country’s constitutional democracy.
Coming in the immediate aftermath of the jailing of Jacob Zuma for contempt of the highest court in the land, the unrest left 350 people dead and many businesses going under, leaving many facing the unenviable scourge of unemployment.
The riots are estimated to have caused R50b loss to the SA economy. The imprisonment of Zuma had sparked protests by his supporters who torched trucks on the N3 highway while being propped up by his daughter Duduzile.
Within 24 hours, violence had spread through KZN and Gauteng with rampant looting of retailers and warehouses the order of the day. There have been several descriptions for the riots including civil unrest, looting, rebellion, counter revolution and insurrection.
Insurrection is defined as a calculated, orchestrated effort to destabilise the country, sabotage the economy and undermine constitutional democracy. The riots fit perfectly with this description.
According to the education department, the attempted insurrection caused more than R200m in damages to schools. It further worsened the backlog of repairing over 1,000 schools vandalised during lockdown. Most of the damage was the theft of electrical wiring, copper pipes, aluminium frames, steel fencing and ICT equipment like computers and printers.
Classrooms and administration buildings were burnt during a cynical orgy of violence and destruction. This situation will necessitate additional funding and reprioritisation of resources. The parliamentary committee on basic education denounced the vandalism and looting of schools as “primitive” “hooliganism” and “barbarism”. “Damaging of schools is inexcusable no matter what people might be going through. Schools are the community’s pride and people must protect them. There is no justification for destroying what is already there because it costs too much to rebuild,” it said.
It can be surmised that the jailing of Zuma served as a trigger for the riots. The violence that accompanied these riots undermined the legitimacy of state institutions and left the nation psychologically traumatised. The fault-lines within the state security edifice were glaringly exposed.
It came to pass that Zuma only served two months of the 15-month sentence imposed by the Constitutional Court. He was released on spurious medical grounds along the same lines as those of his erstwhile “financial adviser” Shabir Schaik who it was said was in the final stages of a terminal illness. That was 13 years ago and he still lives. Zuma himself is said to be eyeing the position of chairperson of the “ruining” party.
These machinations have left a lingering sense that there are untouchable people who could act with his release from correctional supervision. A few weeks ago, Zuma thanked his supporters for their involvement in the violent protests and looting and also for their stance against his imprisonment. Speaking outside the Pietermaritzburg high court, he said: “I was told the country is burning because some South Africans disagreed with those who sent me to jail. I also heard there are people that have been arrested linked to the July unrest. But I want to thank you all for standing up for me.”
His utterances point to the fact that Zuma is willing to undermine democracy to avoid accountability.
It is scary to think the same Zuma still faces a plethora of arms deal-related charges including corruption, which he has become synonymous with, and fraud, which he has steadfastly tried to evade for almost two decades. The judiciary faces its sternest challenge in Zuma in the quest to prove that the law operates without fear, favour and prejudice and that Lady Justice is indeed blind.
To the myriad challenges SA faces, Zuma should be added to the list. To reaffirm the rule of law and undo the damage of state capture, the July riots and other ills that bedevil our beloved country, the law has to take its course on Zuma and his cronies.