America is no South Africa, that's for sure

Photo by Max Sulik on Unsplash

South Africa’s highest court has sentenced former president Jacob Zuma to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after defying an order to attend an inquiry into allegations of corruption.

In America, former president Donald Trump, is swanning around the country, endorsing toadies and other loathsome Republican sorts, six months after inciting an insurrectionist mob to invade the Capitol.

Across South Africa, many are hailing the court ruling as a victory for the young democracy and celebrating the powerful message it sends — that no one, not even a former head of state, is above the law.

In America, members of Mr Trump’s Republican Party are continuing to promise that he will win a presidential election for “a third time”, revelling in their fluency in the “big lie” that he defeated Joe Biden in 2020, while also working to pass voter suppression laws.

As The Washington Post lamented in a comment from its Editorial Board, “Arizona Senate Republicans are ru…