EDITORIAL | No life was lost at Zuma’s home, but a different Marikana may unfold

The organisers of the march to Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal to support former president Jacob Zuma’s bid to stay out of jail knew their actions were illegal and would undermine the authority of the state. Nonetheless, they proceeded, daring the country’s security establishment.

The police, of course, blinked. It wasn’t the first time, but certainly the worst. The EFF also held a march — “to save lives” in Tshwane — as Covid-19 infections increased a few weeks ago. Many who took part, whether in Nkandla or Tshwane, knew the risks to their lives.

In the case of Nkandla, it is tempting to say they are fearless souls, potential martyrs high on their love for uBaba. They not only came to demonstrate they were ready to die for Zuma should the state arrest him; they came to lay their lives before a marauding global health pandemic. 

It is significant that it wasn’t just ordinary people who made nonsense of Covid-19 regulations. Zuma’s mask was, for the most part, on his chin. So was that of his counsel, Dali Mpofu. Zuma’s sons and several others were no exceptions. It would be brave of them if their actions didn’t, in the end, cost the state. 

The police said they wished to avoid loss of life, yet so many lives were risked by their inaction. Many innocent people, including those who do not care whether Zuma is arrested or not, now risk being infected simply because they share the same air in homes, shops or other amenities with the defiant marchers. Some of “the brave” will, sadly, be teary and battling to breathe in the coming weeks.

Gatherings are prohibited because they easily become superspreaders. It must be said that this defiance was reckless in the extreme.

The police said it is important for them to be strategic in handling defiant crowds, noting that “every situation will be assessed and dealt with on its own merit”. In the circumstances, it sounded hollow. The police tried to stop a cavalcade headed to Nkandla, but were forced to allow the crowd to continue its violations. Police minister Bheki Cele was missing in action. How do the police and government expect other people to respect the regulations and pay attention to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s so-called family meetings when these are ignored, as they were in Nkandla? 

The police’s promise to arrest Nkandla march organisers remains, for now, a mere face-saver.

Many appreciate the police wished to avoid a repeat of the Marikana tragedy, where 34 mineworkers were killed by law-enforcement officers. Ramaphosa certainly would do anything to avoid further association with massacres. But simply sitting back and helplessly watching a potential superspreader unfold over several days is not the answer.

No life may have been lost outside Zuma’s house, but a different type of Marikana may unfold in mostly KwaZulu-Natal homes and hospitals in the next few weeks because of police inaction. The country’s security forces are our last line of defence against chaos and statelessness on the one hand and peaceful coexistence on the other. The stance of our police at the weekend has given citizens open season to create chaos, as long as there are enough of them and they appear sufficiently angry. That, sadly, is the greatest tragedy.

The violations of the Disaster Management Act were flagrant. The police had no plan. Supposedly responsible, high-profile people at the illegal gathering acted like children. Coronavirus, meanwhile, is taking more lives as we quibble.

What we expect are police, intelligence and defence force personnel who will, without killing anyone, ensure crowds do not become significant enough to add impetus to a dreaded virus whose rate of infection has climbed to levels not seen in our country before. 

Zuma, meanwhile, made no sense when asked about his responsibility towards people gathering in his name. “I was not responsible for what has happened,” he said. But how can we expect him to say to those who support him, “Please wear your mask, keep safe distances between yourselves, sanitise where possible”, when he walked with so-called warriors without observing social distancing and with his mask on his chin? 

Those given to playing marbles with their lives said Ramaphosa’s government would be to blame if any of them contracted Covid-19 because “it is a known fact that president Jacob Zuma will never walk alone”. We can only hope none of the marchers will need to walk alone to hospitals as a consequence of this highly irresponsible event.

The violations of the Disaster Management Act were flagrant. The police had no plan. Supposedly responsible, high-profile people at the illegal gathering acted like children. Coronavirus, meanwhile, is taking more lives as we quibble.

Cry, our beloved country.