From looted billions to costly commissions, South Africa faces a truth test: can leaders accused of abuse ever regain public trust?
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is underway and basically another truth test is put forth for South Africa’s political elite.
It’s a test of integrity for people who have been given seats of power and have since faced allegations of abusing power.
While the exercise is expensive, it remains an important instrument in cleansing and monitoring our state institutions.
Ahead of the upcoming local government elections, this is a question of who can we trust to raise up in power, who may not be colluding with criminals and using the state’s purse as a personal ATM.
South Africa has a book-and-ahalf that doubles up as an election ballot paper. That list is long.
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There are so many parties whose political agendas and their manifestos are unclear. One would be forgiven for not knowing all of them, more so, for not knowing who stands for these parties and what it is that they speak of.
Qu’ils mangent de la brioche – let them eat cake. This is seemingly the stance of the political figureheads and their pals who raked in millions and have failed to satisfy their mandate.
They have also amassed fortunes through corrupt and ill-gotten gains of the tenders that were discussed in hushed moments in hallways that echoed of a misappropriation of much-needed state relief to a population that was ever so desperate to break out of poverty.
Fast forward to 2025, the year of breaking all things in the status quo – politicians and businesspeople are about to fill the courtrooms as the accused face charges in the number of cases over lost billions to utter wastage.
When the government is ready, it must take stock of the criminality that lurks within its own power structures.
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The work of the commission promises to yield tangible results, but at what cost, because history has shown us that the corrective costs are astounding.
The economy has already suffered a loss through ill-gotten gains, then add the costs to investigate and prosecute.
Justice for those that govern clearly comes at a very high cost – to the taxpayer?
As the latest commission gets underway and the “General of the Nation” takes the stand, one wonders if those who have lapped up the life of comfort find themselves to be in a situation of absolute discomfort now, or is it business as usual, knowing that the arm of the law may not extend to them?
Only time will tell. Here’s to hoping public confidence can be restored through this commission.
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