Beware of the glass house, Cyril

That the office of the public protector has lost most of its credibility through the incompetent and possibly even biased way its now suspended head, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, conducted her investigations, is obvious.

However, her deputy, Kholeka Gcaleka, does have a moral and legal point in threatening to subpoena President Cyril Ramaphosa to answer a string of questions about the burglary at his Phala Phala game farm.

This week, Ramaphosa missed the deadline for answering 31 questions asked by the public protector. He has again asked for more time to respond.

What, we wonder, is taking the time? Surely he knows by now how much money was stolen in the burglary, as well as how much of it was in foreign currency … and, no doubt, whether these amounts were ever declared to the SA Revenue Service or the SA Reserve Bank, as required by law.

ALSO READ: Phala Phala saga turning public opinion against Ramaphosa

Early on in the saga, Ramaphosa dismissed claims that the amount involved was $4 million (about R68.2 million) – but has not backed up that assertion in any way. He has, however, claimed that the lodging of a criminal case by former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser was part of a political conspiracy.

There is merit in the suggestion that Ramaphosa is being targeted by the ANC clique loyal to former president Jacob Zuma … but Ramaphosa has done his case and his image no good by appearing to arrogantly ignore pertinent questions from a Chapter 9 institution.

Given that the events at Phala Phala at least raise, prima facie, the whiff of illegality or bending the rules, Ramaphosa should have immediately and accurately responded. That he didn’t leaves many ordinary people with the impression that he has something to hide and needs time to put together a cover story.

Beware of standing in a glass house when you want to throw anticorruption stones, Mr President.