State capture sounds too glamorous. Just call it looting

We have had three weeks of e-mail leaks confirming what we already know: our state is in the pockets of an unprincipled family from Saxonwold. We now realise that the furore that followed their landing a private aircraft at Waterkloof Air Force Base was just the tip of the iceberg.

The rot goes much deeper than meets the eye.

It is unfortunate that the phrase state capture has been coined to describe the rampant collusion between the Gupta family and state officials in the looting of public funds. Without that phrase we would be calling this what it really is: corruption on a grand scale. State capture sanitises it, elevates it to a level where it can be debated, instead of it attracting disdain.

Let’s face it: state capture at its most basic is stealing from the poor to give to the greedy. The e-mails that continue pouring out only serve to prove that a sophisticated system has been set up to allow the looting to go on.

This system has been set up with such craftiness that all institutions that would normally be triggered into action to prevent the looting are disabled. Hands have been greased to ensure that the looting machinery runs ever so smoothly.

To get the system to work this well, a level of ruthlessness was required so, when reputations had to be sacrificed and institutions neutralised, it was done without a second thought.

Think Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas at Treasury, Robert McBride at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Mxolisi Nxasana at the NPA, Ivan Pillay and Johann van Loggerenberg at Sars and Thuli Madonsela at the public protector’s office.

The continuing avalanche of e-mail leaks shows us how brazen the corruption has become.

Individuals can request to be placed on the boards of state-owned enterprises as easily as one can ask for a glass of water.

And while the country is sidetracked with debates on lofty notions such as radical economic transformation, the looting continues.

It doesn’t help that the official opposition has allowed itself to be sidetracked by Helen Zille’s comments on the virtues of colonialism, thus leaving the EFF as the sole voice of reason on state capture.

Although yet to be proven, allegations that the president owns a house in Dubai places our country in the same league as “the rest of Africa”, a phrase which has been used with contempt locally because the rest of the continent is seen as corrupt and ruled by despots who would have no qualms in spending state money on buying exotic villas and going on unlimited shopping sprees.

These e-mails have shown us that we are not immune. Power corrupts everyone, even leaders in an exemplary constitutional state.

Even though Busisiwe Mkhwebane as public protector does not feel obligated to hold the president to account on state capture, citizens need to continue in their efforts to hold the elected leadership to account.

The public needs to continue giving support to those organs of state that still display honour in the face of such rampant corruption.

When the NPA fails to charge those implicated in corruption through the e-mail leaks, the public must not shirk its responsibility of laying charges against implicated individuals – as the EFF has done against Malusi Gigaba.

The tide will turn at some point.

Sydney Majoko.