It is astounding how out-of-touch elites hide behind their fences, pontificating about leaders they neither know nor understand. The professor who smugly declared in one of the national newspapers that Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is “no top cop” proves once again how disconnected the so-called intellectual class is from the realities ordinary South Africans face daily.
From the safety of their manicured suburbs, these academics write polished nonsense that completely ignores the lived experiences of citizens who actually deal with crime. To them, leadership is theory. To us, it is survival. And when it comes to survival, Mkhwanazi commands respect precisely because he is fearless, uncompromising and refuses to be the puppet of either criminals or politicians.
What makes this even sadder is the posture of our political leaders. President Cyril Ramaphosa and acting police minister Firoz Cachalia are seen by the public as siding with Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, while the whistle-blower, Mkhwanazi, is left standing almost alone, with only national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola in his corner. Of course, he also has the support of upright South Africans – civil society, faith-based organisations, and ordinary residents, but the very leaders who ought to be allergic to even the hint of corruption are the ones shielding Sibiya or looking the other way while the likes of the incarcerated Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala are defended. These optics matter deeply to society.
Elections are coming and the people are watching. As the saying goes: die poppe sal dans. – Siqiniseko Ngcobo, Durban
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