While the world reels from the Credit Crunch, South Africans stagger about in a crisis of faith – faith in its institutions, its justice system and its leaders.

We’ve just heard that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has dropped charges of money laundering, racketeering, corruption and fraud against our presidential candidate due to an “abuse of process”. The abuse is reportedly evidenced by recorded telephone conversations, appearing to manipulate the timing of bringing of charges to before or after the ANC’s Polokwane conference in December 2007 – one assumes all to political ends. The NPA has been a great pains to say that the case has been dropped due to an abuse of process and not due to the substantive merits of the case.

Unfortunately, one can’t help but hear the tacit bells of “guilty” being rung countrywide, all reinforced by the fact that the defence team employed every angle to prevent JZ getting his day in court. As far as political spin goes it seems that things have fallen apart for him. How much more would he have been admired and respected if he had passed through the ring of fire of a courtroom and come out the other side untarnished? As a traditionalist he would surely see the value of the initiation. But now we will always wonder if, like polystyrene, he would’ve melted under the heat of cross-examination.

I do not wish to be political but this is such a moral crisis, a crisis of justice and a crisis of society, as a South African I feel I need to say my bit.

We have parliamentarians implicated in fraud, we have high-ranking officials convicted of corruption and charges brought against those we citizens once respected.

This dishonesty and abuse of power is soon to be tested; in 17 days South Africans will have the opportunity to voice their opinion. We deserve better than this. The Government has shown its mettle, one that demeans the South Africans who voted it into power. The power of a democracy lies with the electorate and as with all power there lies responsibility. Put another way … you get what you ask for, so be careful what you ask for.

Yesterday’s announcement by the NPA could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back and decides many voters. In the unlikely event that the ANC is not returned to power after 22 April will we hear squawks of political manipulation of the NPA for dropping the charges?

On a  different note, but still within the broader brushstrokes of this issue, I read today about a government directive in Botswana that instructs civil servants on dress code. No midriffs, bare backs,  cleavages, armpits and underwear are to be revealed by officials when they are at work. There are those who already decry this as an infringement on human rights and free choice etc., but if a government doesn’t act as a role model for its citizens how can it possibly expect citizens to behave respectably? There’s a sense of decorum that comes with the territory of governance – if you want citizens to be upstanding, law abiding and responsible, an example must be set. Boobs and bottoms and hanging out bits do not engender respect and dignity.

Western-style democracy is relatively new to Africa, and in order to sell it to the masses, Africans need a government they can look up to, that they can respect. There is a mutually reinforcing behaviour pattern between governments and their voters. South Africa take heed.