By Alec Hogg
When the idea of a Republic was first mooted in ancient Greece, its creators warned the biggest danger was if those elected started using their positions to pursue personal wealth. Plato quoted his teacher Socrates that this would turn dogs meant to guard the sheep into wolves who devour them. Politics was always meant to be public service – not a road to riches.
It’s doubtful Plato’s “The Republic” was included in course material when SA Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan studied pharmacy. But after going through transcripts covering last week’s three days of testimony to the Zondo Commission, there is no doubt Gordhan and Socrates are on the same page.
The ANC veteran provided plenty of substance, including an SA connection to a scandal currently rocking Goldman Sachs. In 2013, while the Wall Street firm was facilitating a $2.7bn theft of state assets by Malaysian politicians, Gordhan-led Treasury stopped the theft of R6bn by the same fellows negotiating a proposed sale to the SA state of Malaysian-owned Engen.
The Malaysian prosecution’s case in the corruption trial against Najib Razak (65) is so damning the former prime minister looks likely to spend the rest of his life in jail. With similarly powerful evidence presented to SA’s state capture inquiry, Razak’s would-be Engen counter-parties will surely share his fate. Dogs who turn into wolves deserve nothing less.
