Pres. Zuma’s jail sentence is a shock
I was stunned by the 15-month jail-time for Pres. Zuma. I was hoping Pres. Zuma would respect the judiciary and “spill the beans” at the Zondo Commission. I hoped that Pres. Zuma would expose the Gupta family, Salim Essa and all the law and accounting firms and consulting companies that stole tax monies at ESKOM. I was hoping for a lot more than just sending Pres. Zuma to prison.
Though, Pres. Zuma in prison does send a powerful message, what is required is that all those who stole tax monies, must be forced to return the money etc. Nobody wants to pay more for electricity, so we want the money stolen at ESKOM to be returned. That infers that the state must probe and uncover who stole the money and then claim their cars, houses, local and overseas bank accounts.
Also, all those who did nothing while the money was stolen must explain at the Zondo Commission otherwise the State must repossess their cars, houses and bank accounts. Everyone who stole must have their property repossessed with costs included.
Why must regular people not have some fun and watch those who stole, squirm. Those who live lavishly beyond their income must come explain at the Zondo Commission.
I have nothing against those who achieve wealth legally. I am a capitalist by choice. However, we cannot allow a few to get rich at the expense of others who must pay high electricity costs. We all want to see some people at the top of the law and accounting firms also go to prison. Why must Zuma go to prison alone? Pres. Zuma is going to need friends, especially those whom he enriched.
When did we ever see a rich person go to prison for stealing from the poor?
When a thief robs someone at the bus stop, it affects a family. However, when a person steals a billion rand from ESKOM, millions of people must pay to recoup that loss. Also, when a billion rand disappears from the housing budget, thousands of people are without housing. Some crimes impact a lot more people than others. Yet, people consider being robbed at a bus stop painful but we pay electricity without demanding with more outrage, that the thieves at ESKOM suffer more.
As rate and tax payers, we want value for our money. We want to see that those who stole from the public suffer so that other thieves at every sphere can learn that theft will not be tolerated anymore.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress