For some or other obscure reason that will remain unbeknown to right-minded people our dear Minister of State Security Siyabonga Cwele (pictured in his banana yellow golf shirt) thought it necessary to announce publicly that South Africa “is not a Banana Republic”. He was reacting to opposition parties’ comments that the wealthy and politically-connected Gupta family posed a threat to national security by misusing state resources. This is the same family who landed a private jet with about 200 guests for a family wedding at one of South Africa’s most sensitive key (secure?) points, the Waterkloof Air Force base.
His statement (unedited) reads: “As the responsible minister I will and I always stop illegal activities, particularly where people use our capacity as intelligence for their private business ventures. We will not allow our resources to be utilised for factional, personal, private purposes.
An interim report about the incident has been completed. “What is left now is for our convenor in the cluster to co-ordinate us so that we can study the report, take further actions where necessary, and at the appropriate time take our public on board. There was authorisation and we have that information. What is in question is how was that authorisation, that seems was irregular, was done,” says Cwele’s statement.
Should we – albeit – reluctantly believe the minister that there was authorisation for a private rich family to land a private aircraft packed with wedding guests at a key military air force base, for what ever reason can he then deny that South Africa is a Banana Republic?
