Reconciliation in South Africa will be set back by the R750 000 payment - September 2011

The taste, the settlement reached by Mr Bees Roux and the family of the late Tshwane traffic Sergeant Johannes Mogale, is not a sweet one at all. The timing of it all is very unfortunate indeed.

Sadly, it comes at a time when black communities are increasingly asking themselves whether the call by former President Nelson Mandela for the nation to open their hearts towards reconciliation has not been exploited by some.

My heart goes to Mrs Mogale who has been robbed of her husband. The Saturday Star (September 10,2011)" reported that Mogale's wife, Margaret, sat quietly in the front row of the court, and only spoke when the judge asked her if she was satisfied with and agreed to the details of the plea agreement. She did not speak to the press and quite honestly what was she supposed to say, this was not a match of equals and we will never be sure if the justice system could or even should not have done better for her.


It gets even worse when the same paper quotes Taukobong, the late Mr Mogale's uncle, as saying that “she (Mrs Mogale) was relieved that the saga was over and that she could now finally concentrate on raising her children". The family of the late Mr Mogale is quoted by the same paper as having said "...The Bible says you must forgive in order to be forgiven...."


Many years ago when I used to go to Sunday school I remember we were told that the Bible also says “Thou shall not kill!"

I hope I do not come across as judgmental but I hope that those who know the law better will tell us that justice has indeed been served. I also sincerely hope that those who know the bible better will tell us what should or will happen to those who kill.

I hope the reconciled world that Mr Mandela hoped for has not been set back by the
R750 000 payment.

I hope the timing of this event does not add to the growing list of concerns that black people are being asked to dig even dipper into their reconciliation reserves when other people seem to offer very little.

May Mr Mogale's soul Rest in Peace