LETTER: Mob justice cannot be allowed to overrule legal arguments

Ongama Mtimka’s article refers (“Game theory poser faces justices in Jacob Zuma’s rescission bid”, July 25). After the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma we paid the price in having the spark applied to the tinder that is the dissatisfaction of the masses with the progress — or rather lack of it — they have seen in their lives since the supposed dawn of democracy in 1994.

It is now a question of whether we abide by our constitution and judiciary or the rule of the mob. If Zuma is pardoned, the mob rules. The judiciary has made its decision, and we have paid the price. If we go back on it, we undermine the very judiciary that is responsible for upholding our democracy. The time for game theory (if it ever had a place in this decision) was before the decision to jail Zuma. Legal arguments cannot be influenced by mob power or our fragile democracy will be a sham.

If it had not been Zuma’s jailing, the tinder would have been ignited by some other spark, as it has been building for the past 27 years. The only way for riots of this nature to be avoided in future is for the poor to be able to share in the country’s wealth through land transfers, title deeds for premises occupied, jobs and services. All of these are the rights of our citizens but the wealth has been misappropriated by those in power, and the poor remain neglected.

If the majority of people have something to protect they are not likely to resort to rioting and will actively resist the minority that does, as we saw in the community protection groups organised in the suburbs.  

Peter Lord, 
Hermanus

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