Thabo Bester saga shows clear levels of corruption

The fact that the “Facebook rapist”, Thabo Bester, is still alive and on the run – after someone else was allegedly murdered and burned to death in his prison cell, allowing him to escape – should not surprise anyone.

Horrifying as the story is – and most of it would not have come out had it not been for the tireless efforts of the GroundUp news organisation – it is simply more confirmation that our criminal justice system is almost beyond saving.

So many questions

Even though Thabo Bester was brought to the book by the cops and tried and sentenced, the last line of defence for citizens – our penal system – proved to be corrupt. What other reason can there be for the fact that another person was murdered and burned to death in his place so he could be released?

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But, as the Bester case was making headlines, there were multiple social media discussions about people’s interactions with police when trying to report a crime. The vast majority reported their cases had been closed without any visible investigation.

Crime rate soaring

That is why our crime rate is soaring. Criminals know they are highly unlikely ever to be pursued by the police and, even if they are caught, money will make any problem go away.

That is why assassins felt they could target liquidator Cloete Murray and his son, Tom, in broad daylight last weekend.

Much as this ongoing collapse of our criminal justice system makes life more difficult and dangerous for ordinary citizens, there is an even higher price to be paid in the future. Which foreign investor is going to be willing to put money into a country where law and order is so tenuous? Losing that investment, and confidence, will surely hurt our economy and cause the loss of opportunities to create badly-needed jobs.

But does our government even care?