It’s a funny old world we live in.
We have a specialised crime investigation unit with an investigator being investigated for corruption and for having ties to the criminal underworld.
I won’t mention the name of the unit, as I don’t want to ruffle any feathers.
The Rapport newspaper carried an article last week about a particular colonel who is being investigated for his ties to the underworld. So the question must be asked, how trustworthy is the entire group? To put this into perspective, the rank of colonel does not get awarded to someone for no reason. This is a pretty high rank. Which means the scope of influence of a colonel is so much more than say a constable.
Yet it is this very unit which is leading the way in the investigations against a certain Radovan Krejcir, an individual whose alleged actions have exploded across various South African media.
While nothing has been proven (yet), one has to ask if anything will be proven, given the rampant corruption within certain state institutions. How far does the influence of the criminal underworld extend into our state institutions?
Let me get something straight, before this unit comes swooping down on me like a hawk from above. I know there are dedicated, consummate professionals within this group who try on a daily basis to uphold the law. I know there are members who have made it their life’s work to root out corruption and the criminals associated with it.
Sadly, it would seem these members are in the vast minority, again leaving one wondering what the entire unit will be able to achieve if a colonel within their ranks is under investigation himself for ties to the underworld.
Some time ago I penned a column questioning what makes South Africa so attractive to the criminal underworld. I am no closer to answering that question, but according to my Afrikaans colleagues at the national Sunday paper, there are some very interesting characters living in the greater Johannesburg area. Like a Lebanese prince who has wonderful shopping lists for prospective buyers from Syria. Allegedly.
That these actions are taking place right under our noses is cause for concern. Along with allegations of Al Qaeda having training camps in South Africa, one has to wonder if there is some element of truth to these claims.
I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall in the US Department of Homeland Security to hear what they have to say about South Africa and the efficiency of our state departments. I would also love to have an open discussion with this prince who is (or isn’t) a Lieutenant Colonel in the SANDF.
The greater cause for concern here is that once again the nasty notion of organised crime has reared its head in our area. Exactly how serious or real this threat is, is something I fear we will never fully know. Perhaps that is a good thing. But then again, perhaps it is time we knew the horrid, sordid truth of organised crime in the area. I think we need to know how far up the ladder this rot extends so that we can begin administering an antidote.
But what antidote can we possibly hope to administer if this rot has spread into the very groups charged with investigating and stopping such actions? I fear I have no answer, well none that could be published at any rate.
I gaze into my crystal ball and the future I see is scary – I think if we had any idea how far the rot and criminal influence has spread, we would all pack our bags for Australia. Mate.
