Events over the last couple of weeks, even by South African standards, have been remarkable. First, the Constitutional Court vindicated the faith many have in the rule of law when it committed former president Jacob Zuma to prison. His processing at the Estcourt Correctional Facility in KwaZulu-Natal signalled a scarce victory for the rule of law – only to be dashed by the subsequent violence fanned by his supporters and executed by a combination of thieves, thugs and the desperate poor. Analysis on exactly what happened is still being done. But whether it was part of a planned coup, whether it was an insurrection or spontaneous, it is clear that the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa is not able to fulfil some of the basic contractual obligations the state holds towards its citizenry.