The case and parole process involving Mark Scott-Crossley reflects the flaws of our imported justice system.

The case and parole process involving Mark Scott-Crossley reflects the flaws of our imported justice system.

In South Africa, when a person lays charges against an aggressor he gets relegated to being a state witness.

The whole litigation process undermines the most important aspect of social cohesion: that of ensuring that the aggrieved person gets relief and reconciles with the aggressor.

In every criminal case that goes to court the interests of the state take priority. And anyone who thinks that the state is the representative of the people lives in a fools' paradise.

States, especially liberal ones, are a representative of capital. Like any other criminal, Scott-Crossley's actions affected the economic and social being of Nelson Oupa Chisale's family.

So the state should have ensured that, while losing a family member, the Chisale family remained in the same or better financial position after his callous and racist murder.

To leave this to a civil suit is to betray the poor families who have no resources to appoint expensive legal gurus.

Scott-Crossley is back with his family and will continue exploiting and abusing his black employees to ensure that he gets richer.

The Chisale family have been condemned to poverty owing to the inadequacies of the legal system .

Major Kobese, Braamfontein