Publications
Partners
I have just listened to the judgement passed down by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, on behalf of the Constitutional Court regarding the UDM’s application on a secret ballot for a vote of no confidence in the State President.
How exhilarating to see such a balanced and wise judgement which finally restores hope in the way our country could be governed. At last it seems that the people, not the president, are the given priority.
The whole concept of corrupt presidential power reminds me of a conversation I had in Zaire during the reign of Mobuto. It was common knowledge at the time that Mobuto took two thirds of all revenue earned by the state. For example, if Zaire sold one million dollars’ worth of copper on the London Metal Exchange then around $666 000,00 of that money went directly into Mobuto’s personal coffers. The same was true of any other similar sales of other state assets. I asked my friends in Zaire how could the people allow their leader to systematically steal so much wealth from them? My friends explained that it was not seen that way. Rather the case was that Mobuto, in his benevolence, gave one third of his income to the people! Obviously, it was considered that all state resources belonged personally to the president!
Maybe now the time has come for our own president to realise that the wealth belongs to the people and not to him and his associates. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has spoken. Let us hope that finally true democracy will be restored and that the Guptas will order our president to do the wise thing and step down – sorry, I could not resist the sarcasm.
