It is now
official – The National Intelligence Agency was responsible for the plot to act
against the word and spirit of the Constitution by jamming the cellphone
signals from the Chamber of the House of Parliament. The Speaker of the House has also made the
damning admission that she and her co-Chair of the sitting, the Chairperson of
the National Council of Provinces, knew in advance of the joint Sitting that
the device would be operative. She,
however, denied that she understood what the jamming device would do. However, she claims that she knew that the
media would not be the ‘target’. These
startling revelations are even more concerning than the fears originally
raised, that the jamming had been done at the instance of Parliamentary Security.
When the DA
raised the matter at the outset of the Sitting, the Speaker evaded the
question, saying repeatedly that the Secretary would see to the matter. Only on the third attempt to assert the
rights of the Members of Parliament did she grudgingly agree to have the device
turned off. At no time did she give any
indication that she was aware of the use of the device. This can certainly be deemed to be tantamount
to a lie to the Members of Parliament, a serious offence, as well as a breach
of a duty she has undertaken on behalf of the nation.
Now, at a
Court Hearing in the matter, the admission has been made that the National Intelligence
Agency planted the device, and the Speaker admitted at a pre-debate conference
that she knew of the illegal activity and, by implication, that she and the
Chairperson of the NCOP condoned this illegal conduct.
The NIA has
absolutely no right to be active in the affairs of Parliament. That alone would be cause for a Judicial
Enquiry into the matter. However, it
also raises the question that has cropped up in the past. What exactly is the National Intelligence Agency
doing against the citizens of South Africa?
There have been numerous rumours over the years that the NIA is more
active in protecting the interests of the ANC than caring for the safety of the
public, and this matter gives considerable credence to that. It is certainly a matter of vital public
concern that the activities of the NIA now be subjected to an in-depth scrutiny
by an independent body. On the basis of
the ANC’s steamrolling of the Get-free, do not go to Jail ticket to Zuma in
respect of his illegal conduct in the Nkandla affair, it would most certainly
not be acceptable to have this conducted by a Parliamentary Committee, unless
the Committee were to have a non-ANC majority.
The next
question concerns Zuma’s knowledge of the planting of the illegal device, and
whether he either condoned or instructed it.
Of course, Zuma, who has raised the excuse that he did not notice that
R246 million was being spent on his private residence (!), will repeat the
exercise. However, even if he was not
directly involved, it falls within his area of responsibility and, in any
law-abiding democracy, he would be forced to resign. However, the events at the beginning of the
State of the Nation Address have demonstrated convincingly that South Africa is
not a law-abiding democracy.
This
matter, coupled with the forceful ejection of all Members of the EFF from the
Chamber, in complete breach of their rights as Members of Parliament, by armed
Policemen, also in complete breach of the laws of Parliament and of the
Constitution, promises to offer many reasons for Zuma to step down from the
position of trust that he holds.
Unfortunately, South Africans have little hope that right will prevail,
unless the Constitutional Court is brought into the matter. The harm done by Zuma and Mbete, and all of
their cronies, to the country is inestimable.
It is a clear indication that the Rainbow Nation that was the hope of
the world when Nelson Mandela was President, has slid down the slippery slope
of dishonesty and corruption, to a point where it is now almost impossible to
describe the nation as a democracy, and where many investors now view it as
just another failed African basket-case economy.
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