[COLUMN] Is our democracy safe and secure?
The are multiple bureaucratic aberrations that pose a virulent danger to the edifice of our constitutional democracy, writes Elvis Masoga.
Judging by the recent attempted insurrection, it is justifiable to conclude that our democracy is seriously shaky and precariously unstable.
As a nation, we must vigilantly pursue the principle of accountability and never allow this insurrection saga to vanish into thin air. Key fundamental questions must be clinically interrogated and responded to. The absolute security of any nation-state is vested in the departments of police, defence and national intelligence and state security agency. It is vividly evident that our security apparatuses have dismally failed to perform their duties during the violent insurgency two weeks ago.
Firstly, why did the State Security Agency (SSA) fail to brief President Cyril Ramaphosa in advance about the imminent insurrection? A week before the insurgency, the country’s Counter-Intelligence apparatus compiled a top-secret report on the imminent insurgency. Why did the SSA fail to present that report to the National Security Council (NSC) which is headed by President Ramaphosa? The country’s top commanders/generals in the military, police, SSA and Military Intelligence are members of NSC.
Why was police minister, Bheki Cele so plainly invisible in the first five days of the violent insurgency in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng? When the looting terrorists and renegades were torching malls, trucks and businesses, Cele was literally nowhere to be found. At the time when the nation expected so much resilience and tenacity from Cele, he chose to hide in shame and cowardice.
Thirdly, why did defence minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula fail to brief Ramaphosa about any covert surveillance intelligence collected by Military Intelligence? Furthermore, why did Mapisa-Nqakula defiantly contradict president Ramaphosa when he categorised that insurgency as ‘a failed insurrection’?
The security cluster ministers – Cele, Ayanda Dlodlo and Mapisa-Nqakula – have terribly failed to safeguard and defend the systemic fortress of our democracy. Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence and Intelligence had recommended a forensic inquiry into the efficacy of those ministries.
Finally, I strongly advice President Ramaphosa to wield an axe and dismiss these hyper usseless ministers with immediate effect. As state president, you cannot afford to have such incorrigible fumblers and bumblers as cabinet ministers.
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