EDITORIAL: Order of the absurd

Imagine that President Cyril Ramaphosa were to bestow a national order in recognition of Tom Moyane, the man who hollowed out the SA Revenue Service, for the former commissioner’s service in fighting for liberation. Quite correctly, we would be outraged. We do not diminish Moyane’s struggle contribution but cannot forget the destructive role he played in hobbling a critical public institution.

Something similar is unfolding. Duma ka Ndlovu, a world-class filmmaker with impressive anti-apartheid struggle credentials, is in line to receive the order of Ikhamanga in silver for his work in the creative arts. This is despite disclosures at the Nugent and Zondo commissions of inquiry that Ndlovu’s company was paid by Bain & Co for, among others, introducing the management consultancy to former president Jacob Zuma and Moyane at the nadir of state capture.

Moyane lost his job and Bain remains banned from public sector work. Ndlovu has not been charged with anything. Yet, the decision to give him one of the highest orders a civilian can receive seems inappropriate considering the unflattering disclosures that should be well known to Ramaphosa. Until the allegations against him in the various commissions are addressed, this award makes a mockery of government’s stated commitment to clean governance.