Dispelling trust deficit in the judiciary will help restore confidence

SUNDAY, July 6, will go down in history as one of the memorable dates in post-apartheid South Africa.

- BHEKI MNGOMEZULU

It was on this day when Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, informed the nation about the alleged rot in SAPS.

Mkhwanazi did not just implicate the top brass within SAPS - including Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya. He also implicated the metro police officials, traffic officers and most importantly, prosecutors.

While these allegations are yet to be tested, Mkhwanazi’s evidence shared with the public make his allegations plausible.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was abroad when this media briefing happened. But, as would be expected, he was briefed while in South America. By the time he returned, the nation expected him to arrange a ‘family meeting’. It was only a week later that Ramaphosa addressed the nation. Views differ about this delay.

Some say the president needed to get all the details before he could speak. Others blame him for delaying unnecessarily. The latter group assert that Ramaphosa used the ‘consultation time’ for ill intentions, meant to let people’s emotions die down.