What are the implications of the killing of witnesses and whistle-blowers?

DEEP ROT

- ZAKHELE COLLISON NDLOVU

ZAMILE COLLINS MKHWANAZI

THE South African government's law enforcement agencies are becoming notorious for their failure, sheer incompetence, and carelessness in protecting vulnerable citizens.

This includes witnesses, whistle-blowers, victims of widespread extortion, and — wait for it - the 144 psychiatric patients who were neglected at Gauteng health facilities and ultimately died.

The Life Esidemeni incident remains a poignant reminder of the government’s inability to care for its most vulnerable citizens. The worst part about it is that those responsible for the loss of innocent lives were not held accountable.

Just last week, a witness who appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry was brutally gunned down.

The implications of this latest and brazen killing of a whistle-blower who gave evidence at the commission are likely to scare future whistle-blowers and discourage them from volunteering useful information needed to fight the scourge of corruption and wrongdoing.

As the manhunt for the killer(s) of one of the key witnesses at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry gains momentum, the pressure is piling up on the law enforcement agencies to apprehend suspects without further delays.

What is ironic is that law enforcement agents, who are supposed to protect citizens, are themselves implicated in criminal activity involving defeating the ends of justice and even murders.

There is now prima facie evidence that senior officials in the law enforcement agencies are dirty cops.

This includes high-ranking officials such as Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, the suspended minister's chief of staff, Cedric Nkabinde, and Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi.

It is said that the fish rots from the head. Just ask any South African who has been caught on the wrong side of the law. As long as one has got “cooldrink” money or a bribe, then one escapes facing the full might of the law.