BRINKMANSHIP, commonly known as the art or practice of pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety, especially to force a desired outcome, is an apt description of Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille's widely publicised attempt to trespass on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead at the weekend.
This was akin to the ill-fated DA youth wing's so-called youth subsidy march on Cosatu House in Johannesburg earlier this year, which was violently-repelled by angry Cosatumembers.
A similarly hostile reception met Zille and her acolytes, which luckily did not result in injuries, but bruised Zille and company's ego, when about 100 police officers, including tactical response team members, and a helicopter hovering over Zuma's homestead, greeted Zille's group, and prevented them from getting closer to the compound.
According to news reports, the homestead has been built at a cost of more than R248-million of taxpayers' money.
All Zille wanted to achieve was to take a good look at Nkandla before embarking on court action against Zuma for what she has described as a blatant abuse of power.
She had received no joy from both Zuma's office and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, who said Nkandla had been denoted a "national key point".
The Nkandla invasion, as it were, seems to have been oblivious to the noise that led to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela probing what has colloquially come to be known as Nkandlagate, and DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko asking Auditor-General Terence Nombembe to probe the renovations.
Sadly, the secrecy and blatant lack of transparency and accountability around the homestead's construction has strengthened Zille's charge of Nkandlagate being a product of state-sponsored corruption.
What about the assertion that Zuma is due to part with only 5% of the R248-million of the cost of the revamp to his homestead, reportedly including a heli-pad and underground bunkers, and the fencing around the complex?
The mission in search of the truth to protect hard-earned taxpayers' money is noble. But not brinkmanship.
Public safety is paramount and the reckless endangerment of lives - in the name of activism - while pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety, is truly a puerile act in this day and age, be it from the DA or any other party for that matter.
An act of sheer peril
BRINKMANSHIP, commonly known as the art or practice of pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety, especially to force a desired outcome, is an apt description of Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille's widely publicised attempt to trespass on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead at the weekend.
This was akin to the ill-fated DA youth wing's so-called youth subsidy march on Cosatu House in Johannesburg earlier this year, which was violently-repelled by angry Cosatumembers.
A similarly hostile reception met Zille and her acolytes, which luckily did not result in injuries, but bruised Zille and company's ego, when about 100 police officers, including tactical response team members, and a helicopter hovering over Zuma's homestead, greeted Zille's group, and prevented them from getting closer to the compound.
According to news reports, the homestead has been built at a cost of more than R248-million of taxpayers' money.
All Zille wanted to achieve was to take a good look at Nkandla before embarking on court action against Zuma for what she has described as a blatant abuse of power.
She had received no joy from both Zuma's office and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, who said Nkandla had been denoted a "national key point".
The Nkandla invasion, as it were, seems to have been oblivious to the noise that led to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela probing what has colloquially come to be known as Nkandlagate, and DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko asking Auditor-General Terence Nombembe to probe the renovations.
Sadly, the secrecy and blatant lack of transparency and accountability around the homestead's construction has strengthened Zille's charge of Nkandlagate being a product of state-sponsored corruption.
What about the assertion that Zuma is due to part with only 5% of the R248-million of the cost of the revamp to his homestead, reportedly including a heli-pad and underground bunkers, and the fencing around the complex?
The mission in search of the truth to protect hard-earned taxpayers' money is noble. But not brinkmanship.
Public safety is paramount and the reckless endangerment of lives - in the name of activism - while pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety, is truly a puerile act in this day and age, be it from the DA or any other party for that matter.
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