CAPE TOWN - The Hawks’ and the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) apparent lack of appetite in concluding investigations involving President Cyril Ramaphosa’s allies does little to help restore the public confidence that these law enforcement agencies should be enjoying.
Instead, it adds to negative perceptions and gives credence to allegations of interference in investigations involving the president’s opponents.
Take, for example, the criminal investigation against Eastern Cape premier and re-elected ANC provincial chairperson Oscar Mabuyane and his Public Works MEC Babalo Madikizela, both heavily implicated by a public protector report which found that funds meant to be used to ferry mourners to the memorial service of Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela ended up personally benefiting the two and the ANC.
It is worth mentioning at this stage that Mabuyane’s win over Madikizela for the position of chairperson on Monday is crucial to securing Ramaphosa’s second term as ANC president.
At first, Hawks head General Godfrey Lebeya told Newzroom Afrika late last year that the investigations against Mabuyane had been completed in March already, and they were awaiting the go-ahead from a prosecutor.
But NPA Eastern Cape spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said the matter was still under investigation by the Hawks, and refused to comment further.
This week, seven months later, the Hawks told Independent Media that the matter was still being investigated.
Our law enforcement agencies will only enjoy public trust when they are seen to be acting consistently, no matter who they are investigating.
Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has repeatedly said the hasty decision in charging him was politically motivated to have him step aside.
Mabuyane also raised similar issues when he wanted the Hawks from outside the Eastern Cape to stop investigating him.
We are not suggesting that our law enforcement agencies should bungle probes to avoid criticism – far from it.
However, we are reminding them that public perception is largely informed by a failure to act equally.
The lessons learnt during the era of the Scorpions were too painful and should never be repeated under our watch, no matter how powerful some politicians may think they are.
At stake is our hard-earned democracy.
Cape Times