If there was a year that could epitomise a bloopers segment, 2025 would be it. This was a year punctuated with immeasurable moments of “yoh”, “no way”, and“bathong”– a Sotho exclamation of shock loosely translated to “you guys!?”. So much so that we could write a book on it as thick as former president Nelson Mandela’sLong Walk to Freedom.
As 2025 wraps, here are some of the moemishes of the year that left us with our palms to our faces. Independent Development Trust (IDT) CEO Tebogo Malaka was largely under the radar when the government agency’s board placed her on precautionary suspension in August. This was after Public Works and Infrastructure MinisterDean Macphersonreleased findings from a PwC investigation that probed a R836 million oxygen plant tender to supply systems to 60 state hospital facilities across the country.
The report identified Malaka and IDT’s general manager of supply chain management, Molebedi Sisi, as key players in approving the contracts. Malaka’s appointment as CEO had previously drawn scrutiny after allegations emerged that she was permanently appointed despite facing accusations of procurement irregularities related to aR45 million lease agreement. The suspended CEO allegedly approved the deal without notifying the IDT board.
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As if there wasn’t enough drama surrounding her, Malaka did the unthinkable. She and her spokesperson Phasha Makgolane were caught on camera attempting to bribeDaily Maverickjournalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh into halting his investigations into her.
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