Letters

The planned demise of the Scorpions should come as no surprise. What is a surprise is the almost casual public acceptance of it.

The general perception of the Scorpions has been of a well-run, successful crime-busting organisation, formed to do a job that the South African Police Service, either through incompetence or corruption, was obviously incapable of doing, leaving a rift between this elite force and the police.

The question is why the government, which instigated this unit, should disband such a successful organisation?

Perhaps its initial mandate to the Scorpions gave the impression that they had a free hand in their pursuit of crime, the government doubtless thinking that, like the police, they would realise their limitations.

After all, it is de facto that some are more equal than others, for instance, government ministers and party functionaries.

The Mbeki regime has shown an untoward reluctance to prosecute or get rid of its flawed dignitaries and has on the whole been most protective of them. It's all about loyalty, isn't it, or my team right or wrong!

This appears to have been a party decision, however, and not Mbeki's. The recent elections in Polokwane created quite a schism in the ANC ranks and those who hitched their wagon to a star (Jacob Zuma) are now entrenched in the halls of power.

We are informed by the new secretary-general of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe, that the disbanding of the Scorpions has nothing to do with the pending trial of Zuma for corruption, which Zuma has done his level best to avoid so far.

Mantashe has already made veiled threats about what "the people" might do were Zuma to be put on trial. Statements by politicians are dictated more by expediency than truth, however, and should always be taken with a pinch of salt.

The precursor of the Scorpions, the Heath Commission, another very successful crime-fighting unit, was also disbanded when it ran afoul of government protectionism and showed an interest in the arms deal, a ghost that has haunted the ANC for over a decade now and which a great many highly placed politicians would gladly see disappear.

I.R. Epton
Fish Hoek

With acknowledgements to I.R. Epton and Cape Times.