Zuma’s silence adds to insult

MUCH has been said and written since last week’s release of the public protector’s Nkandla report. Opposition parties and analysts have weighed in on what it means for President Jacob Zuma, his ministers responsible for the ostentatious upgrade, and government officials who oversaw the process.

Opposition parties have, as expected, seized the opportunity to incorporate the excesses of Nkandla in their election campaigns, warning that an ANC victory in the May 7 polls would translate to further abuses of power by Zuma and his government.

Members of the ANC have rushed to protect the president from the public protector’s findings, some venturing into the deeply personal by insulting Thuli Madonsela’s person.

But what of our president and his seeming stubborn silence on this matter?

On Thursday, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said he would have told Zuma to come clean, talk about the Nkandla scandal and take the people of this nation into his confidence.

But Zuma clearly feels no such need. We, the citizens of this country — who can be expected to return Zuma and the ANC as the ruling party in the elections — appear not to be a consideration in the man from Nkandla’s conscience. We are merely fodder to fill the polling stations that will be open across this beautiful country.

The young and old, poor and middle class, white and black must stand as silent witnesses to the atrocious arrogance of the ANC and our president. What will it cost Zuma to say sorry and to take responsibility for the mess of Nkandla?

What happened to the man who is said to have exemplified courage and sacrifice during the apartheid struggle?

Has power corrupted so utterly that our president’s moral compass has been lost?