Zondo
Pronunciation: /ˈzɒndoʊ/ (ZON-doh)
Part of Speech: Verb
Definition:
To deliberately delay or obscure the resolution of an issue or problem by referring it to a formal commission of inquiry, resulting in excessive bureaucracy, prolonged investigations, and voluminous reports that effectively bury the matter without meaningful action or resolution.
Etymology:
Derived from the Zondo Commission (officially the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture), established in South Africa in 2018 under Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to investigate allegations of corruption. The commission became associated with extensive documentation and prolonged processes, inspiring the term’s use to describe burying issues under bureaucratic weight.
Usage:
- Transitive: To subject an issue to excessive investigation to avoid addressing it directly.
Example: The government Zondoed the scandal by appointing a commission that produced a 5,000-page report no one read. - Infinitive: To Zondo something.
Example: They decided to Zondo the controversy, hoping the public would forget by the time the inquiry concluded.
Synonyms:
Procrastinate, obfuscate, sideline, stonewall, bureaucratize
Antonyms:
Address, resolve, confront, expedite
Related Words:
Zondoed (past tense), Zondoing (present participle), Zondoism (noun, the act or practice of Zondoing)
Example Sentences:
- Instead of fixing the issue, they Zondoed it with a committee that took three years to produce a report.
- The company’s attempt to Zondo the labor dispute only deepened mistrust among employees.
- Critics accused the administration of Zondoing the environmental crisis to avoid accountability.
Cultural Note:
The term originates from South African political discourse, reflecting public frustration with lengthy inquiries that often fail to deliver prompt or effective outcomes. It has gained traction as a critique of bureaucratic inertia in governance and institutions worldwide.