A concealed heist at Phala Phala game farm is a scandal. Equally, the presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya’s spin amounted to sweet nothing fraught with so much nonsense that insulted our intelligence.

Magwenya claimed to be awaiting reconciled receipts of the sum of money exchanged for stock in 2020, because he couldn’t disprove what’s in the public domain.

That’s absurd, as there should’ve been a journal of cash received with sales tax record retained for audit purposes. So don’t hide behind receipts. Just clear a thick air of speculation on the amount stolen. Magwenya should tell citizens the truth like it is and save his rhetorical slant for the kindergarten.

Silence is suspicious and secrecy is no disguise in public affairs. Neither will a wait-and-see strategy make speculations go away. Instead it crystallises the assertion that President Cyril Ramaphosa failed to exercise common sense and leadership expected of a head of state.

Intrigues and plots aside, Ramaphosa abdicated his responsibility to report a crime to the hazard of the justice system.

This oversight is tragic: fugitives who could’ve been serving time in jail for robbery and possession of foreign currency are still at large. Worse, a case which could’ve been investigated in 2020 was concealed to escape mention in the crime statistics.

Morgan Phaahla, Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni