The nation remembers August 8, 2024, when Johannesburg’s harsh, artificial lights blinded Moroadi Cholota after the gloom of the FBI escort flight from the US.
Before she could catch her breath, a phalanx of Hawks officers surrounded her – not to shield her but to present her. Cameras surged forward, lenses like predatory eyes, flashing relentlessly. Her dark skin, her youth, her terrified eyes – all weaponised by her own government. No dignity, no presumption of innocence – just a spectacle.
The democratic government’s chosen scapegoat, displayed not for justice but for show. Her humanity was erased.
She wasn’t a person returning home; she was collateral in a political game, her shame their victory lap.
The court’s dismissal this week of charges against her is a victory for justice. She must be commended for fighting a good fight
