When “askies” seems to be the hardest word

 The sheer gloom and weight of the news cycle can easily make one forget that we are really just starting things off, with everyone back in the work saddle. Heaviness aside, there’s also a tinge of optimism in the air - thanks, in part, to man of the moment, Cyril Ramaphosa, newly-elected ANC president and all round action man. He spoke to the world in Davos looking and sounding very presidential, owning the title it seemed. Mind you, without saying a word on home soil about the Cape Town water crisis, he spoke about it very eloquently to CNN. That aside, the news flying at you is still at a speed that is really not appropriate for easing into anything. 

While we are making sense of what exactly is hitting us squarely in the face - one thing is certain - We are now the go to country for inquiries, hearings and commissions. Not that it is unwarranted. On the contrary, answers must be provided. 

From the mismanagement and looting of SOE coffers to government departments where people were spectacularly failed, we do need accountability and a clear sense of where the plot was lost. In some instances, as is the case with some SOE’s, we need to know when and where greed took over and we all suddenly became part of daylight robberies, benefitting none but a select few in the most illegal of ways. Most importantly, we need to know where the money, our money, went. We have our suspicions as the names are dropped one after the other at these public gatherings – now we also await the next step and the further involvement of our criminal justice system. 

We certainly never saw any of it coming but now that we are here, it is clear that 2018 is the year earmarked for getting answers. A month into this year though, how many of these public sittings have we endured? And how many are still to come? It is worth it though, so a lot of bracing of oneself is to come as we kick into high gear. 

The “commissions and hearings specialists” is however not a label we want to wear for long because always lurking in the back are the reasons why these gatherings are needed - corruption and greed of the highest order. 

As the processes unfold, the unburdening of oneself, it seems, is a difficult one for some. So far with the full glare of the country, we’ve seen and heard a few people attempting to say “askies… but” - followed by an explanation about how collective responsibility must come into play or how only political responsibility can or must be taken - think Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings and former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu. The “askies but” is almost the South African equivalent of “sorry not sorry.” It’s not clear-cut, leaves room for the interpretation that you weren’t alone in whatever went down and that you are certainly not going down alone. Moving to the SASSA inquiry and power utility Eskom before parliament, the same narrative persisted. It even went as far as “I don't know”  - these words coming from top officials and the people who reported to them. The amount of finger pointing leaves one stunned. 

We have yet to hear and see a person falling on the proverbial sword. Perhaps it will come when we have a good sit down and listen to further revelations as state capture is probed. The players have all been identified in previous sessions and media reports. If former PRASA boss Lucky Montana’s canary like singing to parliament is anything to go by - no big hitters will be spared. Montana already made some damning statements before parliament and implicated the ANC as a party, in direct wrongdoing. Throw into that hat the names of a few ministers, the president’s son Duduzane and the Guptas – and we’re in for a long reveal but we’ve come this far, so we have time to listen. 

Let’s hope the tide turns with these public displays. Let’s hope more people come forward and at the very least follow the example of Gauteng Premier David Makhura who stated to the arbitration hearing that people died on his watch; that things went wrong while he was in charge and that he takes full responsibility. It made some difference. Nothing will bring the more than 140 people who died back to their families but someone must at the very least say a sincere askies.  That is the case with all of these hearings and probes. Apart from the law taking its course, we truly need an askies South Africa.