It is that time of the year during which we spend time with loved ones and family to reflect on the year that was and the one ahead. And as we holiday and enjoy the delicious feasts, let’s reflect on the buffoons of year. You are hereby invited to vote for the mampara of the year.
There were not many repeat offenders this year, which partly explains why this was the year of buffoonery, as MPs, judges, CEOs and ministers fell over themselves on the clownery. When she was appointed as higher education and training minister in 2024, many hailed that development as strong endorsement of youth leadership. ButNobuhle Nkabanemessed it all up with controversial appointments of failed ANC politicians as chairperson of critical sectoral education and training authorities.
And when parliament probed on the issues, multiple times, she lied at every given opportunity — chewing gum loudly while at it. Thankfully she’s now an irrelevant backbencher in the National Assembly. And then enterTebogo Malaka, the CEO of an entity linked to the scandal-prone department of public works, the Independent Development Trust (IDT), which is under investigation over irregularities in the awarding of a multimillion-rand oxygen supply tender.
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The desperate Malaka was in August caught on video offering a bribe to an investigative journalist, with cash stashed in a Dior envelope, even invoking the name of her family in attempts to hide her shame. Now criminal charges are pending against her. Suspended police ministerSenzo Mchunuwas once considered by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his inner circle as a possible successor.
But now he has fallen out of favour, what with the former KZN premier now the subject Madlanga commission of inquiry into police corruption and a similar parallel probe by parliament. Mchunu’s predecessorBheki Celeis also high up in the mampara stakes. The fedora-wearing, dancing politician apparently rubs shoulders with alleged criminal kingpins, most notably the notorious Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Not only did “Cat” claim that Cele had lived it up at his glamorous pad in Pretoria East, but also that he bribed him with cash in a Woolworths shopping bag, which he described before parliament as “the money bag”. DA leaderJohn Steenhuisenjust keeps fumbling. It emerged this year that the leader of a party that preaches clean governance and shuns corruption and financial mismanagement is himself an abuser of party funds.
Steenhuisen apparently abused his DA-allocated credit card, in the form of Uber Eats meals for him and his family. Who can forgetBrown Mogotsi, the alleged spy and apparent contact of minister Mchunu? This clown, appearing before the Madlanga commission of inquiry, unashamedly admitted to wilfully lying under oath.
“In circumstances in executing my duties, I have to lie,” he told the commissioners, keeping a straight face. And this is someone known to frolic with heavyweights tasked with safeguarding the country. Be very afraid.
The Mandlanga commission has served to expose the extent to which clowns are or have been in charge of our cities. Former Ekurhuleni city managerImogen Mashaziis a case in point. The bling-loving pensioner constantly fidgeted with her phone during her disdainful appearance before that commission — to such an extent that she repeatedly had to be called to order by evidence leader advocate Mahlape Sello. That was before she was also called to order for attempting to corral an alleged rape victim into her defence arsenal.
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