More Tears and Less Laughter
Notes From Johannesburg
Jamin Ohwovoriole
Leigh Matthews is dead. Apartheid hit man, Gideon Nieuwoudt, wants compensation from the democratically elected governmental of the country for mental anguish he suffered as an agent of death used to torture and kill human rights activists pre-1994. The strength of the Rand has become a source of great worry in both private and government quarters. And, the head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Bulelani Ngcuka, still insists that there was a prima facie case of corruption against Jacob Zuma, who is the Vice President of the country. No laughter in the land of gold, it is a season of tears this week.
The story of the abducted child of the IT chief executive got a mini-closure Wednesday, 12 days into the kidnap saga. Her naked body was found in a grassy land south of Johannesburg riddled with three bullets. According to the police's analysis of her decomposed body, she was probably murdered 10 days after she was taken from the campus of Bond University, which is a private institution situated in high brow Sandton. It is a tragedy that is breaking the heart of the entire nation: the pain that has consumed it knows no colour, thanks to the coverage given the events that have culminated in the demise of a young life that was just beginning to bloom.
What is disheartening about this development is the fact that the kidnappers failed to honour the words, which they gave to Leigh's parents: they wanted N1 million in exchange for her safety, according to unconfirmed sources. They got the money, but Leigh's parents had to wait for a council worker cutting grasses along the highway to discover her decaying body in the veld. One could share their misfortune, but it is absolutely impossible not to chastise Leigh's parents and all those who acted as their advisers after and during their contact with the hostage takers: they trusted too much and they did not act wisely by isolating the police at the initial stage. Thus, the opportunity cost of their gullibility is the life of their daughter that was wasted in jest, perhaps. Now, they have opened a trust fund in her name in order to support the work of the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit of the SA police.
Sadly, it is difficult to understand how this will fill the hollowness that is now the centre of the souls of all those who knew and loved her. What is actually important now is the need to make society appreciate people who have been entrusted with certain responsibilities in communities. For instance, detectives are trained in the art of unravelling complicated matters of this nature. However, for them to succeed, they need all the clues and trails that would lead them to perpetrators of nefarious acts. Therefore, they become useless after they have been rendered impotent by silly acts that are designed to eliminate such evidences. It is their duty to act fast and tactically. Leigh's gruesome passing should make all here realise that matters of life and death should not be left in the hands of nonentities or untutored interlopers. The speculation now is that the death which was visited on the Matthews is payback for a yet to be disclosed atrocity. This claim looks ridiculous because it is still unsubstantiated, but the endgame that should be masterminded by the Police here should reveal the identity and motivations of the killers. That is if they are leaving no stone unturned.
Ten years after the collapse of Apartheid, some individuals are still seeking amnesty. In the name of reconciliation, they want to be saved from the consequences of the evils they had committed against their fellow South Africans, in particular, and the pious segment of humanity that detested the horrendousness of what was real in the land of the Zulus before democratisation in 1994. One of such people is Gideon Nieuwoudt. He killed with reckless abandonment in the service of his master and, according to accounts, this man was responsible in part for the death of black consciousness leader, Steve Biko, whom he hit on the head with an iron rod in 1977 before driving him to Pretoria in the back of a truck. Today, his psychiatrist claims Niuwouldt has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder since 1987. Consequently, this convicted murderer now wants to be compensated. If he is to be considered seriously, his claim looks like a huge joke when one considers the fact that those who survived amongst the ones he haunted, maimed and killed are the people who are today's rulers; they are the ones he is telling, "Hurray, it is payday. May I have my cheque?" His demand is like thick mucus that a bellicose fellow slapped on the delicious porridge of a hungry man. Thabo Mbeki, as the official representative of the government of the day, may not hear his call. Should he?
Here is another foolery: this country is unhappy that the Rand is gaining grounds against the American currency. In the last few weeks, it has been oscillating between R5.87 and R6.09 against one dollar. This is causing businesses and individuals labelled high net worth great grief. What an irony! The worst hit is the mining industry: profits have been slashed because the companies pay the majority of their costs in rand while selling in dollars. What this translates into is simple: less Rand is coming in per dollar. To take care of this shortfall, companies are now laying off employees. It calls for laughter, isn't it? Perhaps Nigeria and South Africa should trade currencies. If Nigerians had Rand, many would be glad the paper in their pockets could stand the raw muscles of the almighty dollar. Many Andrews will return home and many parents would be joyous as they embrace their long gone scions who fled their motherland in search of greener notes. Or is this a wild estimation of the desires of our people? It appears some nations are oblivious of their blessings.
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