How serious is the ANC on crime?

The South African public are inundated by calls for crimes to be overlooked, forgiven or — in some cases — not to be considered crimes at all. Unsurprisingly, the vast mast majority of these emanate from those at the very heart of power in this country.

The number of judges, correctional services officials, politicians and police involved in this should make it a cause for national embarrassment but for some strange reason, this is not the case.

Let’s deal with it in light of the issue of Eugene De Kock’s “possible” pardon.

De Kock, nicknamed “Prime Evil”, has been serving a 212 year sentence for his part in crimes against humanity. This is pursuant to being charged with 89 offences, six of which were for murder.

“Prime Evil” did of course apply to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for amnesty, but was refused on the grounds that some of his crimes were committed without political motive.

The commission were absolutely right to turn down his application because besides being a political assassin, De Kock is also a common or garden murderer as well. Why wouldn’t he be? The politicians of the National Party — in the name of expedience — taught him that killing was no problem at all. So he figured, seeing as he wasn’t doing anything on a particular day, why not murder a few more.

Who’ll notice?

In any sane country they would bury this fellow so deep inside the system you’d need an archeologist to lead the parties that wish to visit him.

Not South Africa.

Schabir Shaik — the fraud convict out on a medical parole that must be in accordance with the laws of Mexico because it certainly is not in terms of ours — needs another favour.

The man convicted in the biggest corruption trial in this country’s history demands a pardon because all the other people who committed the same corrupt act that he did — stealing billions of rands which should have gone towards uplifting the black masses of this country — are still at large.

Naturally that means that the fact that he has made an absolute joke of our criminal justice system in getting out is neither here nor there, and just in case he doesn’t get his way and spills the beans, the government are now going to ensure he gets a pardon.

How to achieve this?

Why not give the Afrikaans community one — for example De Kock, so they won’t be mad when we give one for Shaik? After all, they will be so excited about having a murderer released they probably won’t even notice.

Perhaps we give one whitey who has about as much right to a pardon as Britney Spears has to the central strikers role at Manchester United and they won’t mind if we do the same with Shaik.

Of course, the fact that judges trying to influence other judges goes unpunished, enormous corruption charges being dropped, the refusal to convene an arms-deal inquiry and on and on, can only result in the people of this country assuming that there is no law and order, has escaped them.

Instead it appears to be a case of telling the masses to forget the billions taken which could have helped alleviate a substantial amount of poverty, forget that those involved are beyond the law and will not be called to account and remember that if you break the law the police have instructions to shoot to kill.

Yet they not embarrassed by this ridiculous situation, which goes a long way to explaining our crime rate and the failing criminal justice system.

Yesterday we were treated to the former spy and De Kock’s friend, Kevin Woods, being quoted as saying that Zuma had told him that “the war is over” and accordingly, there was no reason why De Kock could not be returned to the community.

Because of his non-political crimes maybe?

Today, incredibly, we hear that former widows of those murdered by De Kock are appealing for his release. Shame, I wonder who approached them?

What next? Just prior to his release there is confirmation that he qualifies for a medal?

A whole build-up just so that they can release an apartheid hitman as the forerunner to the release of “Not so evil, but Evil enough”.

While the government continues along this path I think the time has come to pose a set of questions which they can choose to answer or ignore.

1. Are you going to pardon Eugene de Kock?
2. Have you explained to the masses — before you announce it — what the crimes this man has committed?
3. Is anyone who campaigns against the release of the man who murdered black people for a living a racist?
4. Which race does the campaigner purportedly hate? Whites because they don’t want De Kock to be released or blacks because by not allowing the pardon of a person who murdered blacks, the government — who are mainly black — feel that they can’t pardon their favourite fraud convict?
5. Can all murderers who have committed the same number of killings as De Kock’s non-political murders be released?
6. If not, why not? What distinguishes him from them?
7. Is Schabir Schaik getting a pardon?
8. On what basis did he qualify to be fast-tracked past all the other candidates?
9. Would you recommend that anyone who has committed serious crimes find a politician to blackmail?
10. Do you ever laugh when you tell the public that you are serious about crime?
11. On what basis are parties accountable for the crimes they commit? Is it if your income falls below a certain level or if you have no substantial political influence or friends?
12. Would it be possible to provide the public with a list of people that cannot be charged with crimes no matter how large or serious?
13. If you can’t compile a listm is it not possible to just photostat the one that you are using right now and fax it to members of the media for distribution.
14. In light of the fact that the masses are down so many billions through corruption and many of their leaders and role models are waltzing around breaking the law at will, how do you justify a policy of shoot-to-kill?
14b. How can you justify abolishing the death penalty — which has safeguards to protect the innocent — when you are instructing police to go looking to inflict the death penalty on a whim?
15. In light of 14 and 14b, how do you keep a straight face when discussing crime?
16. Have any of you thought of doing stand-up comedy?
17. If fighting crime requires social upliftment (see missing billions through corruption) and guidance through leaders and other role models (see total disregard for the laws of the country) on what basis — other than shooting our citizens — are you fighting crime?
18. Do you think releasing mass murderers in the name of expedience will bring down the murder rate?
19. Do you think allowing the biggest offender in South African history in terms of corruption to be released will fight white collar crime?
20. Do you have any plans in the not too distant future to start becoming serious about crime?