Quibbling over semantics in crisis

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa said it had become clear that the recent violence was not just a spontaneous uprising of the masses over social and economic inequality, but a deliberate, planned attempt to overthrow a legitimate government.

It was an insurrection. But Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula contradicted the president, denying it was an insurrection. Initially, she had refused to deploy the army when the looters were running riot, saying the country was not at war. Her response wasn’t surprising. She’s a Zuma acolyte.

And there’s the spat between state security and the police. Police Minister Bheki Cele said there were no intelligence reports of the impending unrest. But the state security minister said the police were informed.

But does it matter whether it was a violent protest, civil unrest or insurrection? What really matters is that the wave of violence, looting and destruction that spread across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng was an unprecedented event in the history of our country, never witnessed before.

Instead of responding decisively to quell the destruction, our leaders were quibbling over semantics. What poor leadership at a time of national crisis. Heads should roll.

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN | Kloof