The disease of power can be deadly and unstoppable

It is thought that once you have been infected by Covid-19 and have recovered, you will, for some time afterward, be immune to the virus. If only the same were true for the disease of power.

During this 21-day lockdown period to slow down the spread of coronavirus (which, in reality, may only be the start), we have seen a constant stream of ANC “chiefs” strutting their stuff and lording it over “ordinary” citizens in much the same way feudal lords used to preside over their serfs.

Many of those in the group charged with implementing the “disaster” regulations seem to believe that this emergency – and let’s not bluff ourselves, the situation is serious – gives them carte blanche to arbitrarily suspend our constitution and, specifically, the human rights guarantees within it.

The latest to clamber aboard the jackboot bandwagon was the chief of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), General Solly Shoke, who yesterday effectively gave his troops the green light to continue on their path of abuse and brutality when it comes to those they perceive to be breaking the lockdown law.

While ostensibly disapproving of the violence meted out on civilians, the general opined that human rights must take second place to human life … and that anyone threatening human life would be dealt with harshly.

That also sounds reasonable, if one acknowledges that misbehaviour can impact the lives and well-being of others. However, in abrogating our rights to personal safety and in appointing any soldier on the street the arbiter of what constitutes a “threat” to human life, the general is going way beyond what is justified.

Sure, it is true that if we do not curb the spread of the virus the death toll will be higher than it otherwise would have been. But, at this early stage, we cannot say that every person out on the street poses a direct threat to the life of another human being, which is the only way in which the military can justify using force.

It is worrying that, with the tacit approval of Shoke, it might not be long before troops actually kill someone. Each deployed soldier was issued with 30 rounds of 5.56mm assault rifle ammunition, each one of which is capable of taking a life. We hope that this is not a much bigger disaster waiting to happen.

The perhaps unforeseen – or ignored – consequence of military and police brutality is that, because it is being well-documented in this age of cellphone videos and social media, it will generate anger among the general populace far beyond the witnesses at the scene. That will breed a contempt, even hatred, for our security forces.

And it is going to be very difficult for those soldiers and police personnel who have been assaulting people with abandon to go back to a lawful way of doing their duty.

Yet for many in the ANC hierarchy that possibility is not relevant because, as far as they are concerned, the end clearly justifies the means.

We have already seen Police Minister Bheki Cele handing down proclamations (like “don’t kiss” and “there is no dog which will be walked”) and giving the nod for the “skop en donner” approach.

The power virus, once it infects, is almost impossible to get rid of. Be very careful, President Ramaphosa.

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