Will Ramaphosa testify in the ongoing probes or keep avoiding scrutiny?

Commissions of inquiry, ad-hoc committees and suchlike have over the years proven to be a waste of taxpayers’ money and time, but the ongoing Madlanga Commission and the Mkhwanazi Ad-hoc Committee are bearing some valuable fruit.

There are many reasons for this, but let’s just accept the fruits with both hands and be grateful to KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

One of the greatest fruits – for me – borne by the ongoing inquiries inspired by Mkhwanazi, is a chance to see President Cyril Ramaphosa being grilled live.

I know I’m getting a little ahead of myself here because this fruit is only partly showing. The committee, after some debate on Monday, decided to ask Ramaphosa to submit a written statement instead of calling him to appear before it. Which is a great pity because here is a great chance for us all concerned citizens to see and hear the president tell us what he knows, what he doesn't know, what steps he took, why and so on, when all these unimaginable things were happening within our criminal justice system..

Ramaphosa should not be mollycoddled. As president the buck stops with him. He needs to be called to come and account. He must testify live like the others.

I can’t wait, but again I won’t be holding my breath – considering the balance of forces in Parliament.

The problem we have, fellow South Africans, is that we have a president who likes to appear open, accessible and accountable but fails to walk the talk.

Ramaphosa would rather call a “family meeting” than face up to members of the media in a proper media briefing. He prefers those curiously arranged sessions with "the media" where only a select few journalists are invited. And then there are those odd occasions where he laughs along when referred to by his naughty moniker of Cupcake or some other jokes are shared.

Ramaphosa will often give a "door step" interview, such as last month’s in Limpopo when he had gone to see the devastation of the recent floods. He will grant a "sit down" from time to time to a TV news channel, but that simply doesn't suffice for properly making oneself accessible and accountable to the nation. And once in a while there will be a presidential imbizo somewhere.

A great opportunity might be opening up here with the ongoing probes, but don't hold your breath.