Let’s hope 2020 is the year of action at state capture commission

In delivering his Christmas sermon in St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town on Tuesday, Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba hit the nail on its head when he said he hoped 2020 would be “the year of the orange jumpsuit”.

South Africans are beyond frustrated that nothing has come of those implicated in state capture. No one has been convicted after more than a year of the commission of inquiry, headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Countless descriptions of deep-rooted corruption have surfaced at the inquiry, yet there has been no action.

“Here in South Africa, we hope it is the year of the orange jumpsuit, a year of reckoning for those whose greed has driven the country to the brink of disaster,” said Makgoba.

“I don’t want to appear vindictive. Nor do I want to join the ranks of those who would put undue pressure on prosecutors to rush their work.

“Shamila Batohi, Hermione Cronje and their teams at the NPA need to be given the space to do their jobs properly and to prepare watertight cases which secure convictions.

“The justice, the peace, the reconciliation and the abundant life which a flourishing democracy promises will be achieved only if those who threaten to subvert it are held accountable.

“So I pray that our hope is not misplaced.

“The leaders of our government have had nearly two years to get their act together, rebuild national and international trust and begin to keep the many promises they’ve made to us.

“We need to believe we can do better. We need to believe we must do better. We need to believe we will do better.

“And let us start by examining ourselves: instead of complaining about what the government hasn’t done for us, ask what it is that you can do for your neighbour.”

Let’s hope 2020 is the year of action.

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