LETTER: SA is ripe for transnational criminal syndicates to move in

Your editorial understated the crisis facing the justice system in this country in dealing with criminality (“Guptas, Bester and the laughable price of jail escape,” April 12).

The reality is that the ANC has, since the Thabo Mbeki presidency, done everything in its power to undermine the foundations of a well-functioning criminal system, from policing to prosecution and incarceration.

All of these critical functions are marred by rank incompetence and, in some cases, allowing criminals to hold key positions — we are reminded by the appointment of the late Jackie Selebi, who was in the pockets of the local mafia.

The bigger problem is not only that the citizens of this country have given up any faith in the system, but that the international community has seen through this façade and will soon start isolating this regime from participation in the various structures to combat international crime.

This is problematic as it opens the country up for well-funded transnational criminal syndicates to move their operations to this country, further increasing the propensity for crime.

This intensity in delinquency will only result in one outcome — the creation of vigilantism and private militias that will enforce a rule of law outside the constitution. The current leadership under the tutelage of the inept President Cyril Ramaphosa and his overstuffed cabinet, are advised that this outcome will move this country into the category of a failed state.

The satirist Lenny Bruce said it best when describing the challenges of the US: “The US constitution was not written to protect criminals; it was written to protect the government from becoming criminals.”

John Catsicas
Via email

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