The escape of Thabo Bester from the Mangaung correctional facility in Bloemfontein had to be a joint effort, and this raises serious concerns and questions and also raises the spectre of the credibility of those entrusted to manage such facilities, says the writer.
By Narendh Ganesh
Cape Town - Sir, the arrest of fugitive Thabo Bester in Tanzania, dubbed the “Facebook Rapist”, together with his partner in crime Dr Nandipha Magudumana, drives home the point of your failed leadership as the president of South Africa.
As president, when did you ever wield the big stick with your Cabinet ministers, the security cluster in particular, and lay down the law that you would not tolerate or accept inept and poor leadership, management and control?
Is there any integrated co-ordination of note or any form of strategy between the police, the defence force,the criminal justice system and the Department of Correctional Services that can help stave off the burgeoning criminality engulfing South Africa?
The Houdini-like escape of Thabo Bester from the Mangaung correctional facility in Bloemfontein had to be a joint effort, and this raises serious concerns and questions and also raises the spectre of the credibility of those entrusted to manage such facilities.
While pronounced “dead”, and this was “confirmed” by the Department of Correctional Services, this criminal was actually enjoying the high life as he traipsed out of a supposedly inescapable facility, and to add to the woes of your presidency, he used our very porous borders to make a continental pilgrimage to Tanzania!
It is futile you standing at a podium delivering a State of the Nation Address condemning criminality and declaring war on corruption and crime when there are no visible guardrails in place for such combat.
Ronald Lamola, your justice minister, should have been livid and hopping mad, but he was not – and were it not for fearless journalism that brought the travesty to light, we would never have known.
You cannot escape blame if you do not command those who you appointed as ministers to take charge of their ministries with an iron fist.
South Africa does not need a smiling and amicable president any longer – she needs a head honcho with testicular fortitude and bravado, a man who cares more about his country than in his political ambitions and his degenerating party.
Please be that president!
Cape Times
* Do you have something on your mind; or want to comment on the big stories of the day? We would love to hear from you. Please send your letters to ctletters@inl.co.za