Bosasa arrests: Why now?
As the news broke on Wednesday that the Hawks had encircled the crooked ring of former correctional services officials and Bosasa executives for corruption, money laundering and fraud, there were some who were quick to retort, “why now”.
Happening, as the swoop did, the day before the state of the nation address – 10 years after the Special Investigating Unit recommended prosecution nogal – it was now raising eyebrows.
President Cyril Ramaphosa must have had a hand in it, looking for another dramatic but easy victory, some charged, while others thought it was an attempt at pacifying opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters.
The EFF, of course, threatened to disrupt the state of the nation address if Ramaphosa had not addressed the R500,000 he once got from Bosasa boss Gavin Watson as a donation to his ANC presidential election campaign.
Why were the Hawks charging those who spill the beans – chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi and Andries van Tonder – and not Watson the chief corruptor, or any if not all of Ramaphosa’s implicated cabinet ministers?
Are we back to that situation where law enforcement agencies are being expediently used to wage political battles?
Questions were also raised as to what the implications might be of arresting witnesses who are helping the state capture commission delve deeply into its mandate.
Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi had some explaining to do.
And as is it turned out, the arrests had very little, if anything, to do with what has come out of the state capture commission, but rather with that more than 10-year-old SIU investigation.
Of course, none of the questions that were asked after the arrests would have arisen had law enforcement agencies done their work timeously and meticulously.
And if my information is correct – that the officers who were supposed to effect the arrest of former correctional services commissioner Linda Mti actually bungled the operation – then we should be even more worried.
If basic things like procedure can be so badly handled, then how much more the evidence?
Mind you, we are talking, at least for now, about evidence that has largely been collated already, about a case that has been so high profile.
It gives little hope to the people of New Brighton, KwaZakhele and Zwide, who want answers about why at least eight people have died in the past week or so, and who is behind the carnage?
It would seem, at least at face value, that once again money and politicians are conspiring to destroy.
There is prima facie evidence that the municipality’s R21m drain-cleaning programme has gone awfully wrong, and that politicians are involved.
What are the law enforcement agencies waiting for?
As Ramaphosa once again made another raft of promises in his state of the nation address on Thursday night, he would do well to ensure that there are no unintended consequences to important actions that need to be taken to bring our country back from ruin.
As it is often said, justice delayed is justice denied, and it must always be seen to be done.
And if that’s not how things are done, it may just be easy for people to read into situations things they are not.
Are we back to that situation where law enforcement agencies are being expediently used to wage political battles?
Most of the people who questioned both the motive and the timing of this week’s arrests didn’t do so because they disapproved of what was being done, but because they have the best interests of our country at heart.
Unless things are done properly, efficiently and timeously, any actions that are taken could just have the opposite effect of what may have been intended.