France shows SA the way to uphold the law

Just over a month after France was convulsed by riots following the killing of a young driver by police, more than 700 people are already behind bars for offences committed in the violence, the country’s justice minister said this week.

Excuse me? Here in South Africa, in 2021, we had a far bigger insurrection –which is what President Cyril Ramaphosa called it. More than 300 people died across the country and damage ran into billions of rands. Yet, so far, nobody has been jailed.

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Now, one may say that is the difference between a First World and a Third World country – but the contrasts between South Africa and France are far more stark… and important for us to understand.

The security services in France acted promptly and with a muscular effectiveness, which speaks to the unity of the Paris government in the face of civil unrest.

In South Africa, our security organs dithered, perhaps because their bosses were sitting on the sidelines as the insurrection spread, hoping it would be successful and oust Ramaphosa.

That’s the hard truth of what happened here, much as the ruling ANC may try to play down what was, effectively, treason from some within its ranks.

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May we ask whether the failure to deal with our rioters is another symptom of the faction fighting within the ANC, with some perhaps believing the law-breakers’ actions were more of a civic protest than criminality?

The attitude of the French authorities is clear: much as you may have a legitimate grievance, you may not act illegitimately to air it… and we are committed to the safety and security of all our people and their property.

Unless our government starts adopting that same stance, the rest of the world will regard South Africa as a place where the rule of law means nothing.

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