Letters | Collective amnesia

Who knew the greatest health crisis facing South Africa’s senior officials was a mysterious outbreak of Convenient Commission Amnesia? The latest patient appears to be Idac head Andrea Johnson, whose testimony at the Madlanga Commission had many South Africans wondering whether memory loss is now a key performance indicator for high office. Apparently, emails are like socks in a tumble dryer: they simply disappear.

Decisions make themselves, correspondence writes itself, and nobody can quite remember pressing “send”. Perhaps it’s time for government to establish a Department of Forgotten Affairs. Its motto could be, “If in doubt, blank it out.” One can’t help but admire the timing.

Memories seem perfectly healthy during press conferences, budget discussions, and salary negotiations. Yet the moment uncomfortable questions are asked under oath, memories vanish faster than free snacks at a municipal meeting. Ordinary South Africans don’t enjoy this luxury.

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Try telling your bank, your insurer, or SARS, “I can’t remember making that payment”, and watch how quickly everyone else’s memory improves. The humour, however, masks a serious concern. Public confidence depends on leaders who can explain their decisions and accept responsibility. Until then, perhaps every commission should keep smelling salts, a calendar, and a copy of the official email archive close at hand — just in case another miraculous case of selective amnesia strikes!

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