Many weeks ago, through this column, one raised two issues on two occasions that have since become a nightmare for our relatively young democratic state. The first one is the relationship between former president Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family, and the second is the need for a judicial commission of inquiry arising out of allegations of state capture.
On the first one, the point was made that Zuma has the right to choose his friends. But when his friendships begin to interfere with matters of our republic we, as citizens, have a right to object. The opinion was triggered by the much-publicised landing of the Guptas’ chartered plane at the Waterkloof Air Force Base. It sparked widespread criticism and justifiably so. The name of Zuma, referred to as Number One, was allegedly bandied about in securing the Guptas landing rights at what is otherwise a national key point and out of bounds for private and commercial flights.
Then, South Africans from all walks of life were outraged. Their apology notwithstanding, I warned the Guptas not to abuse the hospitality of South Africans and to appreciate the depth of the anger and hurt their action had caused.
I doubt they understood the message. The latest allegations, contained in what is now known as the #GuptaLeaks, exposes how determined they were to use not just one of our air force bases as their playground but our entire republic.
Their alleged deeds, which they have so far not denied but have instead raised questions about how the emails were accessed, reveal the shocking extent of how they sought to be lords over our country.
The implicated politicians might not be embarrassed and ashamed by the contents of the emails, but citizens love South Africa too much to be left unbothered by these allegations. We are a proud nation and attempts to undermine our sovereignty, capture the levers of political power and use our economic resources to advance the interests of one family are the height of disrespect for our nation.
Even the ANC, which in the past has adopted a head-in-the-sand approach on its president’s scandals, has pronounced on this one.
Speaking to the media last week, spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the ANC had “grave concern” over the “very worrying claims about the nature of the relationship between the government and private interests” as alleged in the emails. It called for a probe to determine the truth of the claims.
We should be encouraged by the ruling party’s courage and rediscovery of its moral compass, but one wonders if it is not too little too late.
Which leads us to the ANC’s U-turn on the commission of inquiry into state capture. The memory is fresh in our minds of how the ANC tried to investigate allegations of state capture by asking people to bring their concerns and allegations to its then secretary-general Gwede Mantashe. Some of us saw it for what it was - an attempt to contain the fallout caused by the allegations. We warned then that it was a futile exercise and lacked credibility. I joined a number of religious leaders and the SACP in calling for an independent judicial commission of inquiry.
In June 2016, Mantashe closed the ANC’s investigation. He said it would be fruitless to continue with it because he had received only one written submission on the matter. Kodwa told the Gupta-owned television channel then that it was a “closed chapter”.
And so the Guptas continued with their peddling of political influence. But how wrong Mantashe and Kodwa were. The matter is not a closed chapter.
No less than the ANC national executive committee is saying there should, without delay, be a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture. It is a moot point about how broad the commission’s terms of reference should be but what should not be lost is how one family (the Guptas) allegedly tried to influence the head of state.
And so, let the commission of inquiry come so that the nation can end this nightmare and move forward. But as we wait for it, one cannot but reflect on the massive ruptures that the saga has caused within the ANC and its alliance partners, let alone the careers it has destroyed and is yet to destroy.
The ANC is a leader of society and its alliance with Cosatu and the SACP offers hope to many.
The ANC is hurting and the state of the alliance is troubling. The tragedy is that this is not because of policy differences and/or the future direction of the country. Rather, it is because of how one family has seemingly managed to divide the ANC and the latter from its allies. It is tragic.
* Pastor Ray McCauley is the president of Rhema Family of Churches and co-chairperson of the National Religious Leaders Council
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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