When the denial prefaces the justification

Perhaps you notice how the denial is so often the preface to the justification. – Christopher Hitchens

Last week I wrote about the release of the Public Protector’s report on the Nkandla scandal which discloses how nearly R250-million of taxpayers’ money was squandered on supposed security upgrades to President Zuma’s private home.

On Sunday the President spoke about it for the first time, but his response is both hysterical and contemptible at the same time. While the report was quite clear that Zuma and his family benefitted materially from the upgrades at taxpayers’ expense, and that he displayed both lack of leadership and control, the President prefers to bury his head in the ground.

I did not use taxpayers’ money. They put in windows that I don’t even want. Then they turn around and say this fellow used the government’s money.

This despicable man, who is slowly but surely eclipsing some of Apartheid South Africa’s past Presidents, and even Robert Mugabe, for being the worst example of leadership on the continent, actually expects the public to believe that he did not know what was going on in his own backyard.

Is it reasonable to expect anyone who finds bulldozers busy on his property and massive and expensive renovations taking place, not to question what is going on? What is this bullshit about windows? That does not even begin to address the scale of the renovations, but he glibly mentions this to the group of elderly people he was selling his candidacy to, for the upcoming elections.

It is gratifying to note that the calls for his impeachment are growing and even his own party members who previously closed ranks around him, are now asking him to answer for his scandalous behaviour. However there are still those within the ANC and bewilderingly some members of the public who think it’s okay to misappropriate public money.

Let’s hope that both these miscreants and the President are given what they deserve before the elections in less than two months, because the country surely will not survive another term of office with Zuma in charge.

#In case you’re wondering about the picture. It’s a new meme doing the rounds on social media. It points out that the public did not ask for the very expensive electronic tolling of major highways which the President signed into effect a few months ago, and which is attracting massive resistance.

And oh, you might want to check out this parody of what I would describe as the worst song ever, which suddenly became somewhat likeable.

It's not like the Minister has done something that isn't traditional!

Recent revelations that Sicelo Shiceka, the South African government Minister with a title that is a mouthful, had abused taxpayers money to maintain a jet-setter lifestyle, is nothing new – it’s the norm.

In fact it would have been astonishing had the Minister of Coorporative Governance and Traditional Affairs been un-coorporative with the ANC tradition of looting the treasury by government officials.

Flying first class to Switzerland with an unecessary personal assistant, and visiting a girlfriend in prison using a hired chauffeur-driven limousine, all at the taxpayers expense is not scandalous; it’s traditional. And apparently it’s all perfectly legal – squandering taxpayers money is sanctioned by the Ministers Handbook. Just don’t bother

asking who wrote that convenient little Handbook.

Now if any of you poor folks are wondering when you’ll be getting a little service delivery, piped water, your share of sub-standard housing, driveable roads etcetera, I suggest you don’t ask your government representatives. They’re too busy making the most of the opportunity you gave them by putting them into political office.