Jackie Selebi, the former Police Commissioner, has been found guilty of corruption by Judge Meyer Joffe, making him the most senior South African to go down for this crime.
Selebi’s conviction is, on the face of it, strong evidence that the criminal justice system is once more showing its steel when it comes to crimes by senior political figures.
But it is not quite so simple. Selebi is yesterday’s man, a Thabo Mbeki appointment who no longer enjoys the political protection offered by those in high office in government and the ANC.
What is remarkable is that not one senior official – perhaps even junior official – from the current government of Jacob Zuma has been arrested for corruption.
Selebi could the last top politician to find himself at the mercy of the law because his timing was off.
This is very alarming. The disbandment of the Scorpions, the appointment of the blatantly political Menzi Simelane to head prosecutions and the failure of the Hawks to tackle any serious high level case all suggest that the fight against corruption has been suppressed by the current government.
And then there is the question of who else benefited from Selebi’s corruption, or who turned a blind eye to it? Could it really be that the national police commissioner operated as a lone wolf when it came to graft? I find that very hard to believe.

Related posts:

1. Jacob Zuma’s appointments and the rule of law
2. Zuma appoints Menzi Simelane head of the NPA – not good
3. Ngcuka rejects Selebi corruption claim – full text
4. Nel and Selebi should be suspended immediately
5. Tutu calls on Zuma to dump Simelane – full text