Swift arrests in Matlala tender fraud probe an important first step

The arrest of 16 suspects, including 12 police officers, on corruption and fraud charges linked to the awarding of a tender worth R360m to Medicare 24, a company belonging to Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, is a step in the right direction by the law enforcement agencies.

The controversial tender is at the centre of the events that led to a police minister being forced to go on gardening leave, the president appointing the Madlanga commission and parliament starting its own probe into allegations that some of SA’s top cops are captured by a criminal syndicate.

Many people are disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa hasn’t dismissed his police minister, Senzo Mchunu, outright — choosing instead to send him home and appoint an acting minister in his place.

However, they will be pleased to see that the process the president outlined soon after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made the shocking allegations against his colleagues is yielding results.

There were lots of fears that it would all result in endless talk shops with no-one being held to account.

These fears emanated from the experience of the Zondo commission into state capture where, even though ample evidence of wrongdoing was produced against prominent figures, very few arrests and convictions were made.

Police and the National Prosecuting Authority were criticised at the time for waiting too long to take action even in cases where it seemed evidence of criminality was obvious.

However, their approach with regard to the Madlanga commission seems to be more pro-active.

They are not waiting for the retired Constitutional Court judge and his team to publish their final report before acting.

We can only hope that this will be the approach the police and prosecutors will take in all the incidents of alleged corruption that are being brought to light by the commission and the parliamentary ad hoc committee.

It is only when the law enforcement agencies act with enthusiasm that criminals begin to fear the law and are deterred from breaking it.

For far too long, SA’s criminal justice system has seemed too passive, giving criminal suspects such as Matlala the confidence not only to take it on — but to even allegedly attempt to capture the whole system through infiltrating the highest police ranks.

With these arrests, let us hope that the police are signalling a welcome change in approach.