I don’t know why I am still so surprised when the leaders we elect into power eventually end up abusing that power.
I think it has something to do with my optimistic nature; my tendency to always give people the benefit of the doubt and think the best of people.
But our politicians have slowly eroded that away over the last decade or so.
At the top of that list is Jacob Zuma, who until recently was demanding to have his day in court.
But while that is a brave thing to say, pending court proceedings have a way of apparently directly attacking one’s immune system.
You can be a perfectly healthy Zuma or Schabir Shaik one moment, but be at death’s door the minute a judge gets involved.
Is this another nifty trick that Shaik has taught his enabler or is Zuma himself the mastermind of escaping justice by sick note.
Over the years, I have come to know of dozens of prisoners who were refused a release or a pardon based on their medical condition.
And most of them were genuinely seriously ill, so much so that a few died in jail.
I am not arguing that they should have been released.
I am, however, shedding light on the double standards that are being applied in a country where we are supposed to all be equal in the eyes of the law.
It does appear that our prosecuting authority plans to pursue the case against Zuma, come hell or high water.
Which is as it should be, because he has a lot to answer for, ill health or not.
Zuma had the audacity to haul Nelson Mandela out in front of cameras while the man was clearly on his deathbed.
Why can’t he himself face the cameras and show the nation how terribly ill he is?
FAKE: Zuma’s undoubtedly doctored sick note
Is it because he has been infected with a severe case of trepidation at the thought of being subjected to a trial and possible jail?
And how infectious is it? Not that it matters, because I suspect that you can escape infection by keeping your hands clean!
Although I doubt it, I hope this is a lesson to the other politicians whose hands are hovering above the cookie jar; because it’s all fun and games, until the handcuffs come out!
I wish we could make them sign a type of indemnity form when they enter politics.
A legal contract that clearly states that they will be held liable for their own legal fees, should they ever be prosecuted and lose a case of corruption against them.
The Zuma case is infuriating for a number of reasons.
Chief among them is the fact that he is not even trying to go about his infantile behaviour smartly.
Instead, he is making a mockery of the very justice system that he helped to reform and that he was once the chief custodian of.
Just imagine Mandela or Thabo Mbeki having done what he’s doing - sending an obviously doctored medical certificate to the court, that is nothing more than a middle finger.
Zuma is living proof that not all freedom fighters deserve to share in the spoils of their victory.